Visual Impact of Feminist Protest

YCT529

YCT529 is a performance by Maria, a young artist, based in Leipzig, Germany. The performance celebrates female menstruation, bridging the four seasons and the four phases of the menstrual cycle. It addresses the ambivalence of hormonal contraceptive methods, exploring the contrast between the freedom of reproductive autonomy and the suppression of female desire. 

YCT529 is described as a representation of the performers’ own perceptions and is composed of sound-installative moments, text, and movements.

It premiered in May 2023, performed alongside Luise Hemmann, as part of the exhibition “RE:ENCHANTED BODIES” in Halle (Saale), Germany. The exhibition was curated by art history students Hanna Thuma and Janika Jähnisch, and it explored the impact of violence on women while raising questions about body politics in capitalism. The aim was to combine artistic work with political activism and challenge traditional exhibition practices. The exhibition was accompanied by lectures, performances, and readings that commemorated victims of sexual violence while also developing future perspectives. 

Later, YCT529 was shown in Leipzig and Brno (CZ) as part of the exhibition “Exercising Collective Disobedience” in October and December of 2023. 

Visual Impact: 
In YCT529, the performers explore their own bodies, provoking with naked skin and an intimacy that is difficult to bear. They are dressed in black boots, green wigs, and minimal green fabric. The color green symbolizes mystical, magical, and unnatural elements.

The performance evokes strong reactions from the audience, including feelings of being touched, shocked, astonished, and discomforted. This provocative use of visual elements and intimacy challenges viewers and engages them in a deeper reflection on themes of female bodily autonomy and societal expectations. 

About the Artist: 
Maria’s work is experimental and multimedia, primarily involving performative elements with text and voice. With her art and music, Maria deals with her own insecurities, weaknesses, feelings, and fears, and questions existing stigmas. Her latest music project, ELVA SKYN, with Leipzig-based artist Arno Selle, is a significant medium for her to express herself while remaining authentic. On stage, Maria uses her voice to inspire herself and connect deeply with her audience, aiming to provoke thought and evoke emotional responses. Since October 2023, she has been studying Fine Arts at HfbK Dresden.

YCT529, Performance by Maria for RE:ENCHANTED BODIES, May 2023, Halle (Saale), Germany.
Photography by Catherina Rocio ©Catherina Rocio.

YCT529, Performance by Maria for RE:ENCHANTED BODIES, May 2023, Halle (Saale), Germany.
Photography by Kristyna Urbankova ©Kristyna Urbankova.

YCT529, Performance by Maria for RE:ENCHANTED BODIES, May 2023, Halle (Saale), Germany.
Photography by Kristyna Urbankova ©Kristyna Urbankova.

YCT529, Performance by Maria for RE:ENCHANTED BODIES, May 2023, Halle (Saale), Germany.
Photography by Kristyna Urbankova ©Kristyna Urbankova.

YCT529, Performance by Maria for RE:ENCHANTED BODIES, May 2023, Halle (Saale), Germany.
Photography by Kristyna Urbankova ©Kristyna Urbankova.

YCT529, Performance by Maria for RE:ENCHANTED BODIES, May 2023, Halle (Saale), Germany.
Photography by Kristyna Urbankova ©Kristyna Urbankova.

Artist Portrait
Photography by Leon Hofman ©Leon Hofman

21st Century Germany Performance Sexual Violence Female Desire Menstruation Body Autonomy Destigmatization
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