Your story in 10 lines
I was born in Guatemala City in 1974. Two years after the earthquake of 1976, eight years after Efrain Rios Montt’s government. My childhood was spent in the city between a coup d’état and another. At the time the peace treaty was signed in Guatemala in 1996, I published my first book of poetry Personal e Instransmisible and produced my first performance in 1999. Since then I kept developing my work as a visual artist with a focus on performance as my priviliged medium of investigation. In 2005 I won the Golden Lion in the category of young artist at the Venice Biennale and this opened many doors. I multiplied myself in 2007, when Isla was born. This year, 2015, I’m about to publish a book containing everything I have written since 2000 until today.
Nací en la Ciudad de Guatemala en 1974. Dos años después fue el terremoto del 76, ocho años después el gobierno de Efraín Ríos Montt. Mi infancia la pase en la ciudad entre un golpe de estado y otro. La firma de la paz en Guatemala fue en 1996, yo publiqué mi primer libro de poesía Personal e Instransmisible e hice mi primer performance en 1999. Desde esa fecha para acá he desarrollado mi trabajo como artista visual siendo el performance el medio que más he investigado. En el año 2005 me gano el León de Oro a artista joven en la bienal de Venecia y esto me abre muchas puertas. Me multipliqué en el año 2007, cuando nació Isla. Este año, 2015 estoy por publicar un libro que contiene todo lo que he escrito desde el año 2000 hasta hoy.
Body, space, blood and history of politics. Is the poet and artist Regina José Galindo sculpting the world starting with a stunning sacrifice?
I don’t identify with the word sacrifice, rather body, space, history, politics and commitment and coherence and consistency.
No me identifico con la palabra sacrificio.
Cuerpo, espacio, historia, política y compromiso y coherencia y consecuencia.
Which has been your first act and which your last? Is the same level of energy still intact? Are you having secrets to regenerate after each work?
My first performance was El dolor en un pañuelo and I showed it in Guatemala in 1999. The last one was Mazorca, they also shown in Guatemala. The energy is regenerated, it’s not intact because everything in life is changeable and variable. The energy rises, falls, within years of work, it is a normal oscillation.
Mi primer performance fue El dolor en un pañuelo, lo hice en Guatemala en 1999 el último fue Mazorca, que hice igualmente en Guatemala. La energía se regenera, no está intacta porque todo en la vida es cambiante y variable. La energía sube, baja, son años de trabajo, es normal la oscilación.
How is hard to start and keep on such an intense artistic activity today in your city, and, according to your experience, in general?
I haven’t found it hard myself. Being an artist, thinking, doing, producing, creating are pleasurable tasks for me and my country is a huge trigger and a catalyst of emotions and ideas. What is difficult is life, daily life, no matter what you do or how you spend your time.
No me lo ha parecido a mi. Ser artista, pensar hacer, producir, crear son tareas placenteras para mi y mi país es un enorme detonador y catalizador de emociones y de ideas. Lo que es difícil es la vida, el día, día, sin importar que hagas o en que dediques tu tiempo.
Which encounters do you normally have in your daily work routine? Please make a portrait of one of these
I avoid routine. I believe that travelling a lot and trying to constantly make something or considering a project helps you stay away from it.
My domestic life is perhaps more schematic, I get up, I wake my daughter up, I get her ready, I get myself ready and the day begins. When the day ends, it ends with her, by giving her a kiss and telling her a goodnight story.
Evito la rutina. Viajar tanto y tratar de estar siempre produciendo o pensando en algún proyecto te ayuda a alejarte de ella.
Mi vida doméstica es la que quizás sea más esquemática, me levanto, levanto a mi hija, la preparo, me preparo y el día comienza. Cuando el día termina, termina también con ella, dándole un beso, contándole el cuento de buenas noches.
Which is the most important achievement (or award) after so many years as visual artist?
Having achieved to be supremely independent and financially able to take care of myself through my work as an artist.
El haber logrado ser soberanamente independiente y el poder manternerme económicamente a través de mi trabajo como artista.
Describe a fantastic happening you, as person, have had in recent time?
This weekend I took a fantastic trip to the area of Ixil in Guatemala. A wonderful journey at the center of the mountains where I met and talked to Ixil women, who have been responsible for prosecuting the genocidal Efrain Rios Montt. Getting to know them, hearing their testimonies from their own voices, feeling their vitality, strength and energy filled me with admiration.
Este fin de semana hice un viaje fantástico al área ixil en Guatemala. Un viaje maravilloso al centro de las montañas donde conocí y conversé con las mujeres ixiles, quienes han sido las responsables de llevar a juicio al genocida Efraín Ríos Montt. Conocerlas, escuchar sus testimonios de sus propia voz, sentir su vitalidad, su fuerza me llenó de energía y admiración.
What your city is giving to you and vice versa?
I currently live in the city of Antigua Guatemala, since 5 years. This city brought me some peace, another moderate weather, here everything goes on slowly, at 20 kilometers per hour. It brought green to my work.
Actualmente vivo en la ciudad de Antigua Guatemala. Desde hace ya 5 años. Esta ciudad me trajo cierta paz, otro tiempo mesurado, aca todo camina lento, a 20 kilómetros por hora. Trajo el verde a mi trabajo.
Can you share your favorite cooking passion?
Cooking is not my passion.
La cocina no es mi pasión
Which is your favorite wine or drink?
Depending on the occasion, a mezcal or whisky.
But alchohol is not my weakness, rather good grass.
Depende de la ocasión. Un mezcal o un whisky.
Pero el alchohol no es mi debilidad, si la buena hierba en cambio
Which is your music or the book(s) with you now?
I’ve been reading a few Guatemalan authors, for example Rodrigo Rey, his new book Siempre Juntos and also rereading El Material Humano.
Ahora leía unos autores guatemaltecos. A Rodrigo Rey Rosa, su nuevo libro de cuentos Siempre Juntos y releyendo El Material Humano.
In which way do you try to live “slowly”, if you like to do so, in a city as yours?
I live gradually. As I was saying, since 5 years I stopped living in Guatemala City and moved to Antigua Guatemala. Here everything is slow, very much so, sometimes I get incredibly bored, but it gives me some peace to raise my daughter. When I need chaos and madness the city is still only an hour away.
Vivo poco a poco. Como te digo desde hace 5 años dejé de vivir en la Ciudad de Guatemala y me mudé a Antigua Guatemala. Aca todo es lento, demasiado, a veces me aburro tantísimo, pero me da cierta paz para críar a mi hija. Cuando necesito caos y locura siempre tengo la ciudad a una hora.
Which is a talent you have and the one you miss?
I can’t draw. I know how to think, to fight. I know how to get in trouble and also how to get away from them.
No se dibujar. Se pensar, se pelear. Se meterme en problemas y también se salir de ellos.
What have you learnt from life until now?
To live, learning that took me many years.
A vivir,aprender eso me tomó muchos años.
To discover all the performance and actions of the artist:
http://www.reginajosegalindo.com
To read some Regina José’s poems, browse our section or explore the tags with her name
Translation from Spanish to English by Michelangelo Miccolis.
We thank Antonio Arevalo, poet and diplomatic officer, to have helped us to realize this interview. To read Antonio’s story: http://www.slow-words.com/antonio-diplomat-poet/