DIVA is a dog
by Clara Saito

Clara Saito’s (Brazil) choreographic research is an endeavor to deconstruct the functional body in order to arrive at what she calls the ‘anarchic body’. Saito aims to push perception into unknown places, shedding light on the ways in which bodies have been made to accommodate neo-liberal capitalist societies. In DIVA the dog, she is a dog. The dog is the artist performing Diva for a month. Caretakers have volunteered to take Diva out for walks in different places throughout a period of one month. A camera has followed these characters in their natural habitats. This experiment has generated questions about productivity and instincts—in addition to sticks and holes. But, is a dog’s existence about questioning? In this presentation, the audience gets a glimpse of Diva's everyday life through texts, videos and her favorite objects that were destroyed during their journey.

Camera: Deniz Buga; Video: Clara Saito in collaboration with Deniz Buga and Matias Daporta.

Thanks to Kubus, my little teacher who taught me precious dog secrets, Christian Greer, Frederick Rodrigues, Katerina Bakatsaki. A special thanks goes out to all the caretakers for accepting the challenge.