Where Beans was about material, movement, and sensuality, Burnings and Burials became about stillness. Continuing with the use of a concentrated chili pepper reduction, I enacted three performances focused on stillness and endurance of withstanding the residual contact burn with the material.
Burning II (Standing Burial) was a question of how long I could stand in place, while regularly pouring the chili mixture over my feet as it slowly dried. The entire performance lasted a total of 3h37m before I could no longer withstand the residual contact burn. The final performance documentation, Burial I (Body Removed), took over 8h to dry.
Becoming Beans (Soaking, Burning), was both a birth, as a bowl of beans, and a trial by fire– a burning questioning. How long could I sit and withstand the burning? The entire performance lasted a total of 4m42s before I could no longer withstand the residual contact burn.
Burning III (Cold Shock) was an experience of both physical trauma and emotional trust. Asking my romantic partner to act as the “pourer” of the chili concentrate, I surrendered myself to endure the chili concentrate as it was delivered by a trusted source, and still dedicate myself to the endurance of the experience. The entire performance lasted a total of 9 m16s before I could no longer withstand the residual contact burn.