2023 IN AN ATTEMT TO MAKE DUBAI’S DESERT (BEGINNING OF THE EMORY QUARTER) A MORE INHABITED AND EXPERIENTIAL SPACE, I PERFORMED A SOLO, PRIVATE INTERVENTION. DRESSED AS A STEREOTYPICAL “DUBAI GIRL” IN A SHORT SHINY COCKTAIL DRESS AND CARRYING A FAKE FENDI BAG, I WANDERED THROUGH THE DESERT. I THEN CREATED GRAFFITI AND SPRAYED MY SIGNATURE WALKING MEN ON THE SAND AND ON A TRANSPARENT PLASTIC FABRIC. THE FABRIC WAS DRAPED OVER MY BODY, SYMBOLIZING THE WEIGHT OF POLITICAL SYSTEMS ON INDIVIDUALS – THIS ACT SERVED AS A METAPHORICAL EXPLORATION OF GOVERNANCE, JUXTAPOSING THE TRASPARENT IDEALS OF DEMOCRACY WITH THE REALITIES OF A TOTALITARIAN SYSTEM, AND HOW THESE LAST SYSTEMS CAN SOMETIMES CREATE A MORE TRANSPARENT ENVIRONMENT THAN THE ONES IDEALIZING IT. HERE, TRANSPARENCY BECOMES HYPER-REAL, CHALLENGING MAYBE NOTIONS OF POLITICAL STRUCTURE AND INDIVIDUAL AGENCY?
UGNĖ GELGOTAITE MARINI 