Hugo Claudin: transgressive art and performance

An AK47 is pointed at the crowd. A patch of light is on the face behind the gun.  An adolescent wearing a luchadoras mask shouts “Go home, yankee, yankee go home BANG BANG BANG” The faces in the crowd duck to the left and right shying from the barrel of the gun, wondering if it’s real or not, if it’s loaded, squirming. Floorboards creak menacingly in the distance. Not a soul is quiet. “20 Poems of Love and One AK-47” is a play designed with the following questions in mind, “How do I turn your world upside down? How to move? How to insight? How to arouse? How do I get you to listen to something you’ve never heard before?” In the words of the artist Hugo Claudin, whether talking about his music, performance, plays, paintings or photography; these are some common ulterior motives.

While many folks are familiar with the paintings and photography of this local creative few have tasted the unforgettable flavor of his plays. The Cangue League is a creative collective that Hugo is a part of, self proclaimed as “GR’s only avant-garde performance troupe” by founder Gary Perrine. The troupe recently performed at the Dog Story Theater, which happens to be a perfect fit: quaint, intimate, creaky floorboards adding to a grassroots feel. Anyone skeptical about the use of the term ‘avante garde’ will just have to see for themselves.

The Cangue League Orchestra, an off-shoot of the Cangue League, is one of the many bands that Hugo has a history of collaborating with. The Orchestra consists of Mike Saunders (Synthesizer), Hugo Claudin (Percussion), Gary Perrine( Alto/Flute), Rebecca Rodriguez (Guitar), Mickey Mackenzie (Melodica/Mandolin), Kyle Colter (Trombone), Joe Blumm (Piano) and Chris Eddy (Violin). Mickey Mackenzie has had a big impact on Hugo’s development as a musician and improve skills. “He would say to me, don’t keep time, just make noise, and so I started thinking about different noises. For example ‘what does it sound like falling down the stairs’? From there I continued to explore breaking rhythm and routine.”  When this group is playing, expect a slew of colorful plastic whistles, an empty 68oz can of GFS brand marinated artichokes, dueling key boards playing off of each other like a game of chess and Hugo in the background falling down the stairs with his ‘Atomic Bongoes’.

Hugo has been living in an artist loft on S. Division (part of the Avenue for the Arts) for 6 years explaining, “Méxicains Sans Frontiéres is the name of my space, but it is also my brand name. It means mexicans without borders in French, a play on médicins sans frontiéres or doctors without borders.” Méxicains Sans Frontiéres is a place of collaboration, art making, music making, community gathering and venue for local, national and international musical performances. (As a side note, it’s best to enter through the back door.)

Hugo Claudin is originally from Guadalajara, an experience that comes through in his style of art, music, performance and interior design featuring tropical colors such as lime green and coral. His skits especially are very much influenced by the contrasting cultures of his mother and father.

“I grew up in an older golden age, the time of Cadillac’s, cigars and good jazz. My father and his friends were retired Americans living in Mexico and my mother and her friends were 20-30 something Mexican wives. When I think of Mexico I think of an exotic jungle, tequila, mariachi bands, two worlds, two languages, American invaders, macho Mexican conservatives and a place that is patriarchic and progressive. The plays I write are about living in 2 universes. About politics, distrust misunderstanding, role models, wordplay, the divide, surreal misunderstanding. In contrast, the series of painting, photographs and prints I call ‘Women on the verge of kicking your ass’ are exercises of transition into freedom from a past relationship. The series is different from the plays but similar. I used the mask of the Mexican luchadoras and created an army of women in menacing and playful poses, all models were told a similar story and they improvised on the theme. I collaborated with over 30 models including dancers, performers, and amateurs. I saw the work as a way for me to heal from an abusive relationship and also a way to communicate the feelings of pull and push victims of abuse suffer. In the end I had a great time and met many interesting people along the way. I saw Ice Cream Gallery as a perfect venue for these works.”

In addition to referencing past experiences, his work explores transgression and censorship. The series of photos and paintings can also be seen as addressing cultural objectification of women, voyeurism and power struggles. An uncensored show of ‘Women on the verge of kicking your ass' will be on display at The Ice Cream Gallery for Art.Downtown. Neighboring site, the DAAC will be featuring the newest collaboration between Hugo Claudin, Ritsu Katsumata and Melissa Arpin Duimstra. The show is an installation, performance and homage to victims of gun violence.

After Art.Dowtown, find Hugo performing with the local latin band Cabildo on April 19 at Red Hydrant Press.

by Jessica Hacker