In “Unbeer Sonata—Study Nº2” I repeatedly broke full beer bottles by letting them fall against the floor. The action created a noise composition with a length of 70 minutes, during which more than 250 bottles were shattered.

The combative impulse that sustained “Unbeer Sonata” was set as a response to the objectification of the female body extensively promoted and exhaustively reiterated by the beer advertising campaigns in Brazil. While the persistence of the action aims to revert the symbolic violence of the TV-spots I criticize, the sonata imprints itself through the continuous alteration of the topography of the space, generating a hazardous environment with glass shards and liquid. The high heels enhance the risk of falling, requiring absolute balance and an attuned state of presence. In “Unbeer Sonata,” the body must overcome the topography that this very body under risk creates.

The performance score proposes layers of sensorial and tangible experiences to be lived by the viewer/participant. The first connection the work establishes with the viewer is contained in a written note, in which I state the performance involves calculated risk, and that it entails the responsibility of the participants by being diligent in the use of the protective eyewear they received, as well as by respecting the perimeter of the performative space. During the entire duration of the work, I wore safety glasses that were identical to those distributed to the viewers. Although primarily functional, the use of the protective eyewear also served as a common denominator connecting me to my observers.

As the topography of the space is altered, the smell of beer on the floor intensifies. The visual, audible, olfactory, and tangible inputs were constantly updated in “Unbeer Sonata.” The palate is the only sense I disregarded in the experience offered to the participants. Despite the communion not being carried through drinking and celebration, I perceive that a state of unity with the viewers was achieved because of the constant tension the action triggered. During the entire action, the space was charged with such tension, sustaining my integral attention and control.