I decided to write about my name change as a result of visiting a heart-touching exhibition a few days ago, at the Germán Kruger Espantoso Gallery (ICPNA of Miraflores), in Lima, where I participated with two works, together with 50 female artists. The exhibition is titled There is something inedible in the throat: Antipatriarchal Poetics and New Scene in the 90s. My works are signed with my name at the time: “Patricia Vega”. The invitation to be part of this important show flatters me and why not say it, it fills me with pride because to be honest, art saved my life and I gave it all for twenty years.

Where did Risa come from and why did I stop being Patricia?

In 2017, still living in Amsterdam, I felt the need to do a rebirthing rite. After much personal work, I felt that I still did not have the peace that I sensed was possible. The ritual was created by Alexander Jodorowski and he describes it in detail in his book: Metagenealogy. I resonated with this ritual so much that I had wanted to do it for a while. One night, I woke up in a dream. My lucid dreams tend to be short, but this one was lasting a long time, so I quickly decided that I would do my ritual in that dream space. In this ritual my parents, had to be reborn as I needed them, they had to give me what I would have wanted to receive from them as a child. It started with me passing between my mother’s legs completely naked. My parents welcomed me and covered me with honey. Then they washed me and dressed me in new clothes. The ritual required that I eventually change my name. I had forgotten that detail, but remembering it, I decided to go to the end and received a new name. It was a powerful, exciting rite; a true birth. I woke up from the dream and went to have a proper baptism in Westerpark, when the sun and the full moon were looking at each other. At the end of the ritual, you had to go eat cakes, which I gladly did in the cafe on the way back, enjoying the touch of humor that Jodorowski brings to his rituals. After having pastries for breakfast, I rode my bike to work thinking that from now on I would be Risa Luna and no more Patricia. It was quite a challenging idea, but I was determined that this would not be just another “experience”.

Would I continue making art? Yes, for me, doing what one loves is making art and I passionately love what I do.

This is the last week to visit the exhibition Hay algo incomestible en la garganta: Poéticas Antipatriarcales y nueva Escena en los años 90 (There is something inedible in the throat: Antipatriarchal Poetics and New Scene in the 90s) curated by Miguel A. López

Germán Krüger Espantoso Gallery

From July 2 to October 16, 2021

https://cultural.icpna.edu.pe/portfolio_page/hay-algo-incomestible-en-la-garganta/