Letter to my mom

Mom,

Art is such a short word that contains many different ways of expression. Theater is one way. Our body is one of the most powerful tools at the moment of express and free ourselves. Through theatre we broke stereotypes, we broke barriers, we broke everything that limit our way of expression. As Nao Bustamante expressed “Using the body as a source of image, narrative and emotion, my performances communicate on the level of the subconscious language, taking the spectator on a bizarre journey, cracking stereotypes by embodying them. I disarm the audience with a sense of vulnerability, only to confront them with a startling wake up call.” I want to say thank you art, thank you theatre. Thank you mom for introducing me to this world.

At the same time I want to say sorry, sorry for never appreciate theatre as I needed to. Sorry for underestimate the power of the body to express ideas and concepts. Sorry for letting you down when I didn’t want to see the local plays because i thought that they were not worthy of my time. I am nineteen years old now and I know better.

Mom, reading about the work of Bustamante was awakening. Do you remember when I told you about Ana Mendieta? Bustamante used her nudity to express ideas just as Ana, but she did it in a theatrical way. Nao Bustamante challenged her audience and the critics by expressing such controversial ideas. For me “America the beautiful” contained things that no one have the guts to say before her such as the perception of ‘blonde’ in different cultures.

I know that we need to appreciate theater and for that I am grateful to you. You teach me that. I am learning about the importance of the body and the ways that different latinas used to expressed things that everyone should be aware of.

In one month I will be back home and  I want to be back on our art dates. I want to perceive art as you perceive it. Please don’t let me fall in technology, don’t let me be a millennial that doesn’t appreciate art. I wanna learn more about our culture through music, paints, plays, etc.

Thank you mom

Everyday I am aware of new things that I need to thank you for. You are the best.

Gabriela.