SVA continues its series highlighting some of the many outstanding projects by 2017 Alumni Scholarship Award winners. Next up is Aya Rodriguez-Izumi (MFA 2017 Fine Arts) on her project 121212, which explores how daily routines can become personal rituals that provide a sense of safety and comfort in modern life.

Tell us about your project. What inspired the idea?

My multidimensional project 121212 manifests in various forms, such as video, performance and installation. It explores the idea of repeated quotidian actions that become personal rituals and a sanctuary in modern life. My interest in ritualistic systems stems from my upbringing and continues to be part of my life today. Through my parents and community, I participated in the handed-down rituals of Lucumi/Candomblé—the Afro-diasporic iteration of Yoruba religion—and the Okinawan spiritual customs rooted in nature and ancestral worship.

For this project, I chose to explore these concepts by acting as a witness to the daily rituals of another person: Lynnese Page. The title 121212 refers to the initial filming session of October 28th, 2016. From noon until midnight, I followed Lynnese for twelve hours. The residual footage from this day became the video elements of 121212. It was also the inspiration for a performance of the same name. The final iteration was an installation that included video and remnants from the performance presented during SVA’s MFA Fine Art open studios.

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