VISUAL AND PERFORMANCE ART
Totem Taboo | 2012 – Present, International. Totem Taboo designs political scenes + scenic artefacts building new collective imaginaries through the visual narrative of the symbol.
Founding Artist | Designer. Maker. Producer. Stylist. Art Director. Communication. Key achievements: First ‘brand’ designing militant ethnic fashion in Spain since 2012, portrayed in Barcelona’s street art by SM172. First Spanish ‘brand’ present in top emerging contemporary ethnic art & design shows in Europe such as Labo Ethnik – Paris, 2012; Ethno Tendance – Brussels, 2012 ; Afropunk – Paris, 2016 or Africa Utopia – London, 2017 to mention a few. First contemporary ethnic fashion ‘brand’ dressing the contemporary free jazz scene with a Sun Ra-inspired collection with the likes of Zap Mama and Sun Ra Arkestra. First contemporary ethnic fashion ‘brand’ creating Guy Debord-inspired performative ‘Situations’. Totem Taboo is stocked at the biggest museum of anthropology in Europe: Quai Branly Museum’s boutique in Paris, and Soboye, the biggest African fashion hub in London. And it is part of the itinerant and collective scenic fashion exhibition ‘Parures’, organised by Paris-based conscious fashion organisation Universal Love, exhibited to date at Klimafestivalen in collaboration with Fashion Revolution in Oslo – Norway, 2018.
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Mischief Makers Carnival Arts | 2016 – 2018, UK. Mischief Makers is an independent carnival initiative led by freelance carnival artist Emma Garofalo, specialised in large scale kinetic costumes / puppetry & performance for community development projects all over the United Kingdom.
Freelance Costume Assistant & Performer | ‘Metamorphosis’ costume assistant for Northampton Carnival -London, 2018. ‘Metamorphosis’ costume assistant and performer for Brighton Pride Parade – Brighton, 2018. ‘Anima Mundi’ costume assistant for Luton International Carnival – London, 2017 and Extinction Rebellion – London, 2019. Workshop assistant for Kew Gardens – London, 2017. ‘Metamorphosis’ costume assistant & performer for Wandsworth Arts Fringe – London, 2017; Kew Gardens – London, 2017 and Camp Bestival – Dorset, 2016. Key achievements: Anima Mundi costume was winner of EMCCAN Caribbean Carnival Queen first prize (2017) and leader of Extinction Rebellion in Hackney, London (2019). Fostering /embodying human and nature rights themed participatory arts and politics of public space.
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Mahogany Carnival Arts | 2016 – London, UK. Mahogany is a carnival group of multi-disciplinary artists led by Salandy and Speedy Ramdeen from Trinidad and Tobago, where they trained with award-wining carnival artist Peter Minshall. They design and create carnival large scale kinetic sculptures/carnival costumes using the human body in the art form of ‘Mas making’, masquerade or street theatre, having been instrumental in introducing such art across the UK and also being a seminal force in educating European communities in the development of carnival as a catalyst for bringing together people from culturally diverse backgrounds.
Freelance Costume Assistant & Performer | Costume assistant and performer for Lord Kitchener-inspired collection ‘London is The Place for Me’ for the 50th Anniversary of Notting Hill Carnival. Key achievements: Winner of 50th Notting Hill Carnival first prize. Mahogany’s costume featured on page 29 of current British passport. Fostering /embodying human rights themed participatory arts and politics of public space.
Featured image: Astro Black by Totem Taboo. Photography by Damien Paillard. Model Christelle Duverly. Design, styling and art direction by Cristina Morales.
CRISTINA MORALES 