H E R I D A

the work is presented as an 'interactive living installation', at any given moment passers-by/on-lookers may approach the performers and examine them closely, however, for the sake of the piece, it is best practice not to grab, shove, or otherwise rattle said performers - however (!) there are a limited number a 'take-a-ways' attached to each performer; spectators are encouraged to take these (limit 1 per) should they decide to examine closely.

LEAD ARTIST: EMÉ ESQUIVEL

Emé is a first-generation latinx native of North Hollywood, California. They got their official start in the performing arts at the age of 21 when they joined the Theatre Department at Valley College in the fall of 2015. One production after another, Emé became increasingly invested and immersed in the theatrical arts – both on- and off-stage. They would go on to co-found two theater companies, ‘Room 114’ and, subsequently, ‘VIRTHE’.

During the height of the on-going pandemic, conventional theater, or rather the gathering of people in a place with the explicit intention of watching other people perform, was a dubious/dangerous proposition.

So, like many other performers out-of-work and confined, Emé adapted and turned to performance art. They were drawn to the notion of an art form where there were no hard-fast rules, no looming conventional standards, and it could be done literally anywhere for an audience of 1 or none.

DIRECTOR: CELESTINA BILLINGTON

Celestina Billington (born 1994, Houston) is a Manhattan-based multidisciplinary artist with an expansive, international portfolio. She works predominantly in the performing arts as a writer, director and producer. She has been the recipient of awards and grants from major institutions such as the National Endowment of the Arts, and has showcased internationally. Whether in NYC, Paris, Houston, or elsewhere, her projects have connected diverse communities to exciting exploratory artworks. Her work is imbued with inclusivity, thoughtfulness, & an ongoing commitment to social justice.

PERFORMER: ANDREW HUTNER

Andrew Hutner is a conceptual performance artist. Through the use of sculpture, painting, and improvisational happenings, his work encapsulates the theater of masculinity. Born in NYC, he has created numerous virtual and in-person live events throughout the New York Metropolitan area.

Currently Andrew Hutner is expanding his practice to collaborative artistic innovation. He facilitates weekly gatherings based out of his Chelsea studio where fellow artists are invited to network and co-create. For the past few years, he has hosted different themes and programmes like jewelry design, screenprinting, and music-making.

COSTUME DESIGN: ROSIE MAE

Rose Mae Turner “Rosie” is a sustainable fashion creative and climate activist with a vast range of artistic experience. A 2007 Dominican University graduate, one of Rosie’s first fashion performance art works was featured by SYS Creative Imagery and Creative Lounge CHICAGO in 2010 where she shed light on the subject of “Polyamory”. The Necessary Taboos event— was a fusion of art and fashion, an exploration of the forbidden. Rosie went on to create customized wearable art pieces out of CTA cards for Chicago’s Art on Track event on board the subway trains in 2011. Since relocating to NYC in 2016, she has been published internationally. Her design and styling work has appeared in Nylon, WWD, Bazaar Kids, NBC Chicago, The New York Times, Elle UK, BuzzFeed, Sportswear International, and more. Today Rosie continues to spread climate awareness and enjoys saving items from the landfill. Working with unconventional materials to create one-of-a-kind fashion pieces brings her joy.