project image
Ian Byers-Gamber
ANGELUS

first performed on March 15, 2017
Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles, CA
performed once in 2017

EDGAR FABIÁN FRÍAS

Los Angeles, California
seeingyouseeingmeseeingyou@gmail.com
edgarfabianfrias.org

ANGELUS
EDGAR FABIÁN FRÍAS

In this day-long performance, developed in collaboration with Machine Project and the Los Angeles County Department of Cultural Affairs, I surveyed the dynamic and historical Echo Park in Los Angeles, California. Inspired by lineages and legacies that have shaped Echo Park’s history, my body acted as a conduit for its unseen and felt influences and histories, and in particular the Sacred Feminine energy at the park (including Amy Semple McPherson and La Reina de Los Angeles). I weaved zine-making, music, hydromancy, video projection and the geomapping of my face onto the Lady of the Lake into an interactive and community-focused experience. “AngelUS” had four iterations throughout the day, beginning at sunrise and ending just after sunset. The first was a walk around the park while I blasted music and sounds of Amy Semple preaching. The second was an interactive table where people could come learn about AngelUS and Echo Park’s history. The third was a divinatory experience over the lake as individuals witnessed myself use the water in the lake as a divination tool. The words and images which emerged from this experience were later used in the fourth and last performance. This performance brought in nine Los Angeles–based performers and took over the south side of the park with video projections, sound, and interactive elements.