don’t sleep, stay awake
durational performance (2.5 hours)
July 2022 as part of Xarkis Festival and Residency
link to documentation

Considering the sleepy surroundings of Agros, Cyprus, one, perhaps, falls into a sort of hazy dream-like state, the critical eye half-closed and analytic thought suspended amongst the heat and slight breeze of the mountains. At the level of the sub-perceptual, there remains a certain sense of this is not quite right, alas pictures are taken of the view, a freddo espresso on the single terrace open during the afternoon.

Within Agros, Cyprus, there is a fair amount of athletic tourism, runners trails in the mountains pass by caves and hide-outs used during the guerrilla war tactics of the 50s-60s by the EOKA resistance group. The complexity of this preserved history is dealt with superficially, surface engagement vis-a-vis a vapid quick appreciation of “seeing” or “visiting” a place. Alas, the greek nationalist conservatism nestles itself in the cylindrical environment, preserved by the cliffs and arid temperatures.

For this site specific durational piece, I wanted to touch upon staying awake in this environment. Having encountered a certain level of homophobia, stares at the way I dress, as well as on the Grindr app (men who have sex with men here prefer manly over fem, use video calls to confirm the baritone or bass of a voice before agreeing to meet). I researched lullabies endemic to both Cyprus and part of the colonial history, most specifically the United Kingdom, and came across two songs that spoke to me. The first, Αγιά Μαρίνα (Agia Marina), is a song sung to most children on the island of Cyprus, to lull them to sleep with a prayer to Saint Marina. What was particularly interesting about this particular saint is that in the past couple of years, scholars have posited that Saint Marina may in fact go by Saint Marinos in todays world. The queer history of the saint, a part of religious history overlooked, was something that excited me. The second song was Stay Awake from Mary Poppins, and chides the listener to not fall asleep and submit to dreams.

For 2.5 hours I ran around the village like an athletic tourist with a tank top that said Friends and I continuously sang these two songs on repeat while running. The song was to remain as an inaudible mumble at times, and at other moments a clear indication to stay awake. A mantra, a lullaby, or wake up alarm ad infinitum.