performance, 2021
ave is a performance blending drag and striptease to explore self-identity, societal expectations, and the path to self-empowerment. it challenges traditional roles and norms, embracing independence and happiness beyond external judgment.
at its core, ave is about personal rebirth and self-acceptance, but also about the exhaustion that comes with fighting for change. it carries the weight of activist burn-out, the struggle to keep going, and the bittersweet realization that some battles never end.
the performance moves between confession and prayer, using two versions of ave maria—one by maria peszek, a rebellious hymn of self-discovery, and another by bach, marking transition and reflection. it all leads to a final moment: an intersectional manifesto, a protest, a raw and unfiltered reckoning.
