FIGHT LIKE A GIRL / PELEA COMO UNA CHICA
Fight Like a Girl / Pelea Como una Chica
2024, Installation & performance in collaboration with Namibia Flores Rodríguez produced for 15 Bienal de la Habana at Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Centre
2025, Short film accompanying the project
The work consists of creating and performing a new version of Kız gibi Dövüş / Fight Like a Girl specific to the 15th Havana Biennial by collaborating with local participants and by focusing on boxing which is deeply rooted in the local history and context. First introduced at the beginning of the 20th century, today boxing is considered a popular sport in Cuba. Although the ban on professional boxing in 1962 may seem to have hindered its development, Cuban style boxing earned an international reputation as a defensive style focused on tactics, precision and movement instead of offense and power. This style is deeply rooted in ‘Juego de maní’, a stick-fighting martial art and dance that was developed and practiced in Cuba by African slaves working on the sugar plantations. Complicating matters, women were banned from all forms of competition until only a few years ago. Whether this ban was driven by fears of harm to their ‘feminine’ bodies or rooted in a paternalistic culture of overprotecting women remains debatable. Thus, the realisation of Fight Like a Girl / Pelea Como Una Chica comes at a pivotal time, highlighting Cuban women and non-binary boxing practitioners while expanding the relevance of their practice beyond the context of sports.
Combat sports, while susceptible to perpetuating discrimination and gender-based violence, also serve as a powerful tool for empowerment, fostering confidence in one’s body and promoting solidarity. In this context, boxing, interwoven with political history and reflective of current social issues, establishes strong ties and deeply resonates within Cuban society.
Supported by SAHA.
PERFORMANCE & INSTALLATION VIEWS
FILM STILLS
TEXT
Black Panther Namibia
Lioness Lia
Queen Phetjeeja
T-Rex Claressa
Bullet Valentina
Pretty Killer Iman
AK47 Amber
Barbie Ekaterina
Cyborg Cris
Magnum Weili
Panda Jing Nan
Android 18 Anissa and Itsuki
Beautiful Boxer Nong Toom
They say “You fight like a girl.”
Those who fight like a young girl, as adult women, as queer, as the exploited, the abused…
In fact, those in the ring are,
Those realising their childhood dream,
Those yearning to be the strongest, the best.
Those who fight to beat poverty,
Those supporting their families well before puberty.
Those who take a break to bear children,
Those who breastfeed between trainings.
Those who fight to raise children.
Those fighting to survive the abuse,
Those abused as fighters.
Those bound to hide their sexual orientation.
Those who want to protect themselves on the street and at home…
If getting into the ring is a rehearsal of life,
There are rules here in the ring.
Whereas in life…
…everyone has a plan,
until they get punched in the face.
Train hard,
Fight easy.
Pay-per-view
Is turned on.
In the stadium,
Bets are on.
Eagerly they await,
Who beats whom?
Iron wrists,
Knuckle to knuckle punches.
Here, what’s the cost of a win?
What’s the meaning of loss?
“Blood, sweat and tears” they say.
Whose tears,
Where is my blood flowing from?
“Muscle Memory”, they say.
The memory of all the individuals
Subject to generations of violence.
“No pain, no gain” they say.
Who pains?
Whose gains?
Here we are, in the ring,
In the corners.
Our punches,
Not meant for your entertainment,
But to protect ourselves,
And just because we like to.
After all, there is freedom in knowing how to punch.
Throwing a punch as an act of care.
A form of consensual violence, as one might say.
I chose my safe word.
If I say it, will we stop hitting each other?
Against the same potential threat,
As we learn to fight by repeating over and over,
We were made to confront each other
Rather than stand side by side.
Would compassion,
Allow for solidarity?
Fighting in solidarity,
Acting in solidarity to become stronger,
Becoming stronger to fight.