The Sensorial Mirage of "Golden Tongue" by Elizabeth Débora Domínguez

Last Saturday, at @display.estudios, a unique and immersive experience was presented with the performative-sound piece Golden Tongue by @ely_dd_. This event was not only a display of creativity and technique, but a profound immersion into an alternative universe where poetry, sound, and corporeality intertwine to challenge our perceptions.

Golden Tongue manifests as an immersive piece that transcends the conventional limits of performative art. From the moment the heartbeat, subtle yet powerful, resounded in the space, an immersive atmosphere took hold of the audience. These heartbeats, which emerged organically and spontaneously, set the rhythm of the experience, weaving a sonic tapestry that plunged us into a trance. As the guitar elevated its hypnotic tone and poetry resonated in multiple languages, we found ourselves immersed in a symphony of sounds and sensations that transcended verbal understanding. In this context, the connection between the body and art became evident, with each heartbeat and each guitar note resonating in our own flesh and bone, reminding us of our own humanity and vulnerability in a world of pure sensoriality.

The concept of a "plush shoal" adds a visual and kinetic element that is both hypnotic and provocative. The performers, painted with body painting and with plush vaginas, moved in a sensual and frenetic manner, eliciting visual and physical stimuli that compelled the audience to reconsider their own limits and taboos. This aspect of the piece not only challenges visual perception, but invites introspection on sexuality and bodily identity.

The sonic texture created by the overlay of poetry in multiple languages—Spanish, Portuguese, and Plushian language—breaks the barrier of conventional understanding, leading the audience to a state where words transform into mere sounds, losing their original meaning to become part of an abstract symphony. This innovative use of language underscores the ability of art to transcend verbal communication and appeal directly to the senses.

The combination of drums and guitar heightens the tension of the piece to a frenetic climax, where the cacophony of sounds and movements merge into a chaotic yet deeply orchestrated whole. This culminating moment, followed by an abrupt return to silence, reflects the duality between chaos and calm, life and death, action and stillness.

The presented poems, laden with powerful and emotive imagery, complement the sensory experience of the piece. Verses such as “Let's be free in this world, share happiness. Let nothing be understood, so that everything is understood” encapsulate the essence of Golden Tongue, an invitation to abandon conventional structures of understanding and immerse oneself in an experience that is both visceral and intellectual.

In summary, Golden Tongue is a piece that is felt in every amplified heartbeat, in every sensual movement of the plush shoal, in every word that loses its original meaning to become pure sonority. Elizabeth Débora Domínguez has created a piece that challenges our perceptions, invites us to explore the limits of our own reality, and confronts us with the beauty and terror of the unknown.