“The Dinosaur Was Always There” is the most challenging art piece that I have created in the last year. Throughout two intensive months, I wrote and thoroughly researched it, bringing back my childhood memories of the military government in Argentina. During that same period, a young cousin of my mother disappeared when he was only 22 years old. Since then, my family has split up and lived in constant fear, darkness and repression. They never talked about it; therefore this entire oppressive situation just causes me more pain, violence and suffering.

In “The Dinosaur Was Always There,” I intend to recreate the violence through the vision of the victimized person that eventually becomes the perpetrator himself. Based on a story wrote in 2005, I use sound to rebuild memories of the violence that occurred in Argentina, which even nowadays is still hard to talk about. By using simple actions and theatrical masks, I carry out the intention and purpose of questioning the social, political and religious taboos that still prevent the taking of true responsibility for such crimes against humanity.

Using this particular experience in Argentina which began in 1976, I allow the audience to participate and get engaged in a more broad understanding of this kind of violence, which also occurs in other wars and similar situations, only the country or culture changing.

When the dictator Jorge Rafael Videla died in May 2013, I knew the time had come to make this performance. Even 37 years later, Argentine people, whether they are immigrants or not, still have a hard time telling and listening to these stories.