«The Body as Time»: Cleopatras Return at the 17th Santiago Media Arts Biennial

During the presentation, the artists embodied a tableaux vivants (living painting) before the audience while a group of contemporary creators—including Juana Gómez, Ofelia Andrades, Denise Lira Ratinoff, Claudia Peña, José Pedro Godoy, Courtney Smith, Iván Navarro, Jacqueline Fresard, and Gabriel Iñaqui—captured them live, recreating the experimental spirit that characterized the group in the 1980s.

The Citizen

16/10/2025 7:47pm

«The Body as Time»: Cleopatras Return at the 17th Santiago Media Arts Biennial

On October 14 and 15, the National Museum of Fine Arts hosted the return of Cleopatras, an iconic collective from the Chilean underground, with the performance The Body as Time, created and directed by Patricia Rivadeneira as part of the 17th Santiago Media Arts Biennial – Hyperrealities.

The performance brought together Tahia Gómez, Cecilia Aguayo, Jacqueline Fresard, and Rivadeneira herself, transforming it into a living experience where body, memory, and erotic capital merged in dialogue with works from the Museum’s Collection.

The piece, which had four live performances, received enthusiastic applause from attendees and stood out as one of the most moving moments of the Biennial.

Patricia Rivadeneira, director and founder of the collective, remarked, «This performance follows the desire to revisit a path together through art, posing the same questions that united us in the ’80s and continue to resonate strongly today. We are women, our bodies as time have traversed a millennium, and we are still on the same quest for meaning that defines our humanity, transcendence, and even our trivialities.»

«We are alive to relish in the game of life; reconnecting through art with all these creators has given us the conviction and audacity to return as Cleopatras, embracing a sense of overwhelming freedom. Time is on our side. My body is my time. Today we return with more experience, desire, and freedom. At 60, one can start anew…» the actress added.

During the presentation, the artists embodied a tableaux vivants (living painting) before the audience, while a group of contemporary creators—including Juana Gómez, Ofelia Andrades, Denise Lira Ratinoff, Claudia Peña, José Pedro Godoy, Courtney Smith, Iván Navarro, Jacqueline Fresard, and Gabriel Iñaqui—captured them live, recreating the experimental spirit that characterized the group in the 1980s.

Upcoming Events

From October 16 to 19, between 10 AM and 6:30 PM, the public will have the opportunity to visit the installation where the performance took place in the northeast hall on the first floor of the National Museum of Fine Arts. A selection of works from the Museum’s Collection will be displayed there, including pieces by Ana Cortés, María Tupper, Henriette Petit, Raymond Monvoisin, and Pietro Negri, alongside drawings and audiovisual records produced during the performance, understood as remnants of the performative act.

Additionally, on Tuesday, October 21 at 6:00 PM, a new milestone for Cleopatras will occur at the GAM, within the talk “Whispering in Twilight,” part of the co-curation by artist Iván Navarro.

On this occasion, the artists will present the second edition of their self-titled album in vinyl format, with a listening session that will include the release of the single Red Peony, composed by Jorge González and produced by Cecilia Aguayo and Entrópica, along with the premiere of the music video directed by Leo Medel, with Jacqueline Fresard in charge of art direction.