Dental Drawings

Description:

Dental Drawings was a collaboration between Cheto Castellano and David Khang presented in the Grand Luxe Hall as part of Manifestation :: Agitation.

The artists de-naturalized their quotidian identities by bringing avatars into a performance scenario. Khang (aka Dr. DK/decay) used his dental training to create a corporal intervention that exceeded normative dental practice, while Castellano assumed the role of patient through an entity he calls “Nako Tako,” a hybrid clown that adopts the features and costuming of Ronald McDonald and a lucha libre wrestler. Staged as an ad-hoc dental office in the middle of the Grand Luxe Hall, they were also joined by Coco Rico, who performed as a fetish pin-up dental assistant. 

The audience was free to crowd the performers for an unrestricted view as dental procedures were performed on Castellano’s teeth by Khang, creating dental decorations in traditional Mayan designs reminiscent of Latin America’s pre-colonial heritage.

Curated by Natalie Loveless.

Video documentation available upon request.