A Manual of Renewal: A Ritual of Overcoming.
A Manual of Renewal: A Ritual of Overcoming is a socially engaged performance-ritual created in collaboration with residents of Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood. The work emerged from El Consultorio, a Participatory Action Research (PAR), initiative in which my collaborators and I met with neighbors, youth, and community leaders to understand the emotional, spiritual, and practical challenges they face. As part of El Consultorio, we also offered resources such as acupuncture—supportive interventions that helped people ground themselves and ease the weight of daily stress.
The performance took place inside a Catholic church, a site carried by history, tension, and spiritual authority. Occupying that space, openly and with intention, became a quiet form of resistance. By bringing ancestral healing practices, communal care, and collective presence into this setting, the ritual gently unsettled dominant narratives and offered a moment of symbolic repair.
Participants engaged in cleansing gestures, breathwork, movement, offerings, and plant-based medicines drawn from Caribbean and Indigenous traditions I inherited through my grandmother’s lineage. Leadership shifted fluidly throughout the ritual, between neighbors, youth, elders, invited practitioners, and myself—reflecting the shared authorship and trust that shaped the project from the beginning.
A Manual of Renewal functioned not as a spectacle but as a living tool: a moment designed to help people recenter, release emotional weight, and imagine new possibilities for surviving and supporting one another. A shared myth emerged through these actions—a story built not on words, but on presence, care, and collective intention.
Summoning of Memory Project: Performance and Mural (Ongoing)
In the heart of Kensington, amidst the dynamic urban landscape, a profound artistic endeavor unfolds—a testament to resilience, hope, and community empowerment. The Summoning Memory Project, spearheaded by artist José Ortiz-Pagán, stands as a beacon of collective spirit and determination, encapsulating the essence of the Hope Back to Kensington initiative.
At the core of this project lies a mural, not merely an artistic expression but a living memory, a tangible embodiment of empowerment. Ortiz-Pagán emphasizes the crucial role of the mural in crafting a narrative of hope within Kensington. It serves as a lasting imprint of the community's aspirations, a reminder of their shared journey towards a brighter future.
The mural, a culmination of collaborative efforts, symbolizes a profound shift in perspective—a departure from the challenges of the past towards a vision of possibility and renewal. Through extensive engagement with Kensington neighbors, including block captains, volunteers, veterans, and residents, Ortiz-Pagán cultivated a rich tapestry of narratives, weaving together the hopes and dreams of the community.
Drawing inspiration from the June 2023 performance, the mural transcends traditional aesthetics, incorporating elements of resilience and self-protection amidst ongoing gentrification. Ortiz-Pagán's choice of a sigil format infuses the mural with energy, magnifying the intentions and desires of the community. It serves as a visual testament to their collective strength and commitment to shaping their own future.
Moreover, Ortiz-Pagán underscores the transformative power of the project, not only in its artistic expression but in its capacity to foster meaningful connections and empower individuals. Through dialogue, reflection, and creative expression, participants found solace, empowerment, and a renewed sense of purpose.
As the Hope Sigil adorns the streets of Kensington, Ortiz-Pagán hopes it will serve as a source of inspiration and resilience for the community. In a neighborhood marked by its challenges, the mural stands as a symbol of hope—a reminder that even in the darkest of times, the collective spirit of a community can illuminate the path forward.
El Vínculo and the Solitary Procession
El Vínculo, a ceremonial suit created in 2020. This powerful ensemble served as a public act of care, summoning the spirit of death with compassion and dignity. In the image, we see El Vínculo walking on 9th St. Philadelphia, specifically in the Mexican and Central American market. The suit, along with four altars, was designed to align with the four cardinal points, a practice seen in many indigenous and Caribbean traditions. This intentional design allowed us to involve the entire city in the performance, offering an offering to our loved ones who had transitioned. We extended our reach to neighborhoods in both South and North Philadelphia, recognizing that the offering could no longer be confined to one location. It was important for us to approach people on their own terms, in their own spaces.
Each altar was crafted by an artist I invited to be part of this procession, collaborating with institutions in the city that focused on social justice and diversity. The participating artists represented various communities, contributing to the richness of our collaboration. El Vínculo, drawing inspiration from Caribbean mourning and death rituals, also allowed us as a group and community to explore questions related to diasporic communities and the development of new processes and rituals in response to our unique migratory situation. It became a tool for negotiation and self-reflection as we navigated the uncertainties of the near future, symbolizing our collective renewal. The artists that created the altars were: Ivonne Pinto, Bahay 215 (Omar Buenaventura & Nicky Uy), Priscilla Bell and Cesar Viveros
The design of each portal or door (within the suit) in the altars was intentional, addressing the challenges we faced during the procession. The North door focused on the issue of children crossing borders, while also symbolizing the presence of young beings guiding us into the future. The South door highlighted the themes of isolation and the denial of dignity during departures. The image depicted a story of a Dominican victim of COVID-19 who, unable to access a hospital bed, returned home where he passed away in the early morning. This door was dedicated to his memory.
Similarly, the West door shed light on the pressing issues of climate change, with increasing heat and wildfires ravaging the West Coast, including parts of the Amazonian jungle and beyond. The East door addressed the summer of 2020, marked by the uprising of the Black Lives Matter movement, honoring the Black lives lost to police brutality.
Each element of the performance, from El Vínculo to the altars and the symbolic doors, carried profound meaning. They allowed us to engage with the challenges of our time, giving voice to marginalized communities, and providing space for reflection, remembrance, and healing.
DYNAMO: Re-generación en Esperanza Hacia el Futuro
was a performance/ritual/ceremony organized and directed by Jose Ortiz-Pagan and Mauricio Pérez in response to Sarah Kavage eco sculpture, Confluence. The collaboration also included the participation of youth groups from La Puerta Abierta.
The performance aimed to reclaim the river as a symbol of passage and confluence. It provided a platform for two recently arrived individuals to articulate their hopes and plans for their lives in the context of migration. Sound design by Bennett Kuhn incorporated letters written by each young person specifically for this event, creating a unique audio experience. Additionally, Aztec dancer Ruben Chico delivered a captivating performance within a circle of flowers created as part of the event.
.The metaphor of the machine was used in the performance, deconstructing it to highlight the role of dancers as dynamos, channeling prayers into the atmosphere. Every component of the performance served as a social part of a hopeful working mechanism.
"DYNAMO: Re-generación en Esperanza Hacia el Futuro" was a powerful artistic endeavor that sought to explore themes of migration, hope, and regeneration. Through the use of movement, sound, and symbolic elements, it offered a space for reflection, expression, and collective empowerment.
La Sombrilla (Ongoing Prototype)
On May 21, 2022, we unveiled "La Sombrilla" in Southeast Philly, amidst scorching temperatures of 100°F. This moment served as a poetic action to illustrate the tangible impact of heat. The event, known as the "La Sombrilla Block Party," marked the culmination of a two-year project called Heat Response, which aimed to organize people in #SoutheastPhilly around the context of climate change, particularly in one of the city's largest immigrant communities. During the event, attended by numerous individuals, people gathered and sought relief from the heat with the water provided by "La Sombrilla."
It's important to note that we organized this event in the midst of a pandemic, acknowledging the exhaustion experienced by people's bodies and minds. We recognized the need to engage in conversations about climate change within the realities and limitations faced by individuals dealing with multiple challenges. Instead of blaming or shaming, we actively listened to what people were already doing to combat the heat.
With this in mind, I invited Bahay 215 to collaborate with me in co-designing the project.
The result was "La Sombrilla," an autonomous environmental sculpture that draws inspiration from the local tradition of creating informal gardens in the area. It addresses the lack of green spaces and tree canopies that provide protection from heat waves and other climate-related issues.
Together with Omar Buenaventura from Bahay 215, I designed and built the structure using reclaimed wood from an 80-year-old water tank that was generously donated. This narrative of repurposing materials symbolizes our collective effort toward a sustainable future.
Notably, the structure is self-sustaining and considers that many individuals in our migrant population do not have access to homeownership. Thus, "La Sombrilla" does not require individuals to connect it to water or electric sources. Thanks to the Holobiont laboratory, we were able to design and implement an entire solar-powered system.
"La Sombrilla" stands as a testament to our commitment to addressing climate change and creating sustainable solutions that are accessible to all, regardless of housing status. It represents a collaboration that transcends boundaries, bringing together art, community, and environmental consciousness.