Design Science Studio | 2021 – 2022, San Francisco, USA. Design Science Studio is an incubator by The Buckminster Fuller Institute in partnership with HabRitual, based in San Francisco, USA, launching ‘The Regenaissance’: a decade-long global movement that brings together revolutionary thinkers and creators to imagine, create, and inspire a world that works for 100% of life. With a cluster of visionary mentors and using Buckminster Fuller’s comprehensive anticipatory design science principles, selected cohorts of international revolutionary artists across many disciplines further their education towards building during a seven-month residency culture-shifting ideas and projects for a regenerative future.
Regenaissance Movement Artist (Cohort 2021-2022) | Key achievement: Granted and artist fellowship to work on Counterspace and present it in a series of digital showcases and large scale campaigns to facilitate the transition to a future where all life thrives. Online and live events include Regenera Rising, Making the Invisible Visible, Dissolve and Bloom, and Miami Art Week.
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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.
Costume Assistant & Performer | ‘Metamorphosis’ costume assistant for Northampton Carnival (London, 2018). ‘Metamorphosis’ costume assistant and performer for Brighton Pride (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 Carnival Queen first prize (2017), and leader of Extinction Rebellion’s parade 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 famous carnival group of multidisciplinary artists based in London led by Clary Salandy and Michael Ramdeen from Trinidad and Tobago. After training with award-wining carnival artist Peter Minshall in their native island, they have been designing and creating 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 since 1989. They have been consistently winning the Notting Hill Carnival competition in their category for most of the last years. With award winning collaborations featured in the Caribbean, London, Paris, Nice, Sweden, United States, and Trinidad, they act as an agent using carnival as a catalyst for bringing together people from culturally diverse backgrounds.
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: Mahogany was winner of the 50th Notting Hill Carnival first prize in its category. A Mahogany costume was featured on page 29 of the then current British passport. Fostering /embodying human rights themed participatory arts and politics of public space.
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Totem Taboo | 2012 – 2018 / Present (Hiatus), International. Totem Taboo is an artistic project designing avant-garde scenic artefacts + scenes, building new collective imaginaries through the visual narrative of the symbol. It was born somehow functioning as the first ‘brand’ in Spain designing militant fashion campaigns with non-professional models challenging mainstream notions of identity. Operating outside traditional seasons, bespoke and very small limited edition capsule collections were released punctually focusing on locally and ethically handcrafted one-of-a-kind pieces that transcended fast fashion ethos and trends. The garments have evolved to be sculptural and activated only when worn as part of public interventions and performances and they are now dressing the contemporary avant-garde jazz scene, with a Sun Ra-inspired collection and the likes of Zap Mama and Sun Ra Arkestra. Either way, in Situationist fashion, it has always aimed to create situations disrupting the spectacle.
Founding Artist & Producer | Designer. Maker. Stylist. Art Director. Producer. Communication. Key achievements: First ‘brand’ designing militant fashion campaigns in Spain since 2012, portrayed in Barcelona’s street art by SM172. Only Spanish ‘brand’ present in the emerging and so-called ‘contemporary ethnic’ art & design shows in Europe since 2012 such as Labo Ethnik (Paris, 2012), Ethno Tendance (Brussels, 2012), African Street Style (London, 2015 & 2016), and Afropunk (Paris, 2016), to mention a few. Only ‘brand’ dressing the contemporary avant-garde jazz scene, with a Sun Ra-inspired collection and the likes of Zap Mama and Sun Ra Arkestra. Totem Taboo was stocked at Quai Branly Museum in Paris -the biggest museum of anthropology in Europe, and Soboye – the main African fashion hub in London. Since working just on scenic pieces, a unique piece of the first scenic collection ‘Space Age’ was previewed at Africa Utopia Festival with a performance of Kendall Mugler alongside artwork by Manzel Bowman, presented by Baaba Maal, at Southbank, in London, in 2016. Totem Taboo has later been part of the collective and nomadic scenic fashion exhibition ‘Parures’, organised by Paris-based conscious fashion organisation Universal Love, alongside many international avant-garde artists. And another unique piece was previewed at Klimafestivalen’s ‘Parures Frozen Catwalk’ exhibition, in collaboration with Fashion Revolution, in Oslo, Norway, in 2018.
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From 2011 to 2016, Cristina participated punctually in a series of public interventions and performances with various grassroots collectives and international social movements: Selva | 2015-2016 – London, UK. London-based collective of performers and activists doing performances and public interventions, led by Brazilian London-based carnival producer-artist and activist Manuela Benini. Our Brixton | 2015 – London, UK. Multi-arts grassroots campaign that aimed to respond to Brixton’s gentrification via public interventions, led by spoken word activist Potent Whisper. Walking Gallery | 2012 – Barcelona, Spain. International social movement of artists bringing their art to the streets under the motto ‘no more walls’ in the form of a walking art gallery, founded by entrepreneur Jose Puig. Projecta (currently called Arde Teatro) | 2011-2013 – Barcelona, Spain. Grassroots social theatre company mostly doing public interventions, active during the Spanish Anti-austerity / Indignats Movement (15-M), the 15th October 2011 Global Protests, and beyond.
Public Intervention Artist – Performer | ‘Trans-form Carnival’ fundraising performance by Selva at The Bussey Building – London, UK, 2016. ‘Movimientos’ 10th anniversary performance by Selva at Rich Mix – London, UK, 2015. ‘Resistance Dance’ public intervention in Tesco supermarket (former community music venue) by Our Brixton – London, UK, 2015. ‘Walking Art Gallery’ public intervention by Walking Gallery – Barcelona, Spain, 2012. ‘Paint your Face’ public intervention by Projecta as part of the Spanish Anti-austerity Movement (15-M) – Barcelona, Spain, 2011. ‘Anti-Xmas Musical’ public intervention by Projecta in Barcelona’s public transport – Barcelona, Spain, 2011. Key achievements: Disrupting everyday life using public interventionist art as critical public pedagogy, in the midst of Brixton’s gentrification or the Spanish Anti-austerity / Indignats social movement (aka 15-M). The 15-M Movement transferred to Europe during the later 15th October 2011 Global Protests the model of the protest camp which had been formed in the Arab Spring, adapting it to a more countercultural framework practising and aiming for direct democracy, and it later expanded to USA influencing the creation of Occupy Wall Street and the following Occupy Movement around the world. Helping to make the first Trans-form Carnival happen in Ahmedabad, India, in 2016. Supporting the most active Latin American cultural organisation in the UK: Movimientos. Democratising art through the social participation of Walking Gallery turned an international social movement active in Europe and Latin America, featured in national and international media such as Spanish TV2, TV3, BTV, Canal 33, and Canal+ France among others, embodying participatory art 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. Paris, 2017
CRISTINA MORALES 