“The Substance of Heaven (II)” belongs to a series of durational performances in which my objective is to submerge my entire body within a liquid “substance” that slowly solidifies itself. When the “substance” solidifies, I am confined in the most beautiful stillness: as vulnerable as those still in the womb. Unable to move, talk, or see, unable to hurt. Confined inside the “substance,” the self gains power, the female body reveals strength, the immigrant body defies distance and separation. Stillness is a search for harmony, an act of peaceful resistance to counteract violence, fear, and injustice. The “substance” is the unknown, between the here and there, past and present, life and death.

For “The Substance of Heaven (II),” I sat in front of a tank filled with the “substance,” and I submerged my head for six hours. The process of solidification of the “substance” around my face was recorded by a video camera installed below the tank and simultaneously shown on a large screen for the audience to watch.

From a social perspective, “The Substance of Heaven (II)” is an act of peaceful resistance. By subjecting my body, the female and immigrant body, to a demanding but serene and beautiful confinement, I want to convey strength, commemorate those who suffer, and promote harmony. I feel that we live in an increasingly violent and unstable time, and I think it is important to counteract violence and fear by promoting art performances that inspire empathy amongst strangers.

From a personal point of view, “The Substance of Heaven (II)” relates to my explorations of migration, the affirmation of identity, and the empowerment of the self. The confinement and stillness of the body as a means to defy separation has been at the foundation of my work since I left my native Spain more than ten years ago.

When I have my face inside the “substance,” my sense of time is completely altered. One hour feels like minutes, and I see images. Submerging my entire body within the substance is not only an act of empowerment, it is also an act of curiosity about what my body might experience when fully confined within the “substance.”

“The Body In the Substance,” a twelve-hour performance in which I will submerge my entire body within the “substance,” has been awarded a Franklin Furnace Fund 2017–18.