Enter the Vaginal Imaginary
with Nao Bustamante
Building on the themes explored in her work Vagnasium (2021), artist Nao Bustamante continues a conversation about women’s health and the fraught history and design of the speculum (a medical instrument used to investigate body orifices). Following a meditation to enter a “vaginal imaginary,” participants are invited to create their own clay prototypes to reimagine the speculum design. Bustamante and workshop participants will be joined by multi-instrumentalist, composer, and Reiki master Pamela Martinez.
Space for this workshop is limited. Admission will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to those who RSVP in advance.
Nao Bustamante’s work encompasses performance art, video installation, filmmaking, sculpture and writing. Bustamante is an alum of the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) and she was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from SFAI in 2020. She attended Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. She is a Professor of Art at the USC Roski School of Art and Design.
Pamela Martinez is a reiki master, educator, multi-instrumentalist and composer who creates music and immersive experiences under the moniker Teletextile. Martinez’s work focuses on growth and healing through nature, sound, sonic sculpture and performance. Martinez brings to life music-centered rituals that explore our connections with our inner voices and to each other. Martinez creates new work with Teletextile, a group of rotating collaborators that weave together a tapestry of music, movement, reiki and other healing rituals to create a mixture of performance and mindful awareness practices. Martinez holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Berklee College of Music in Boston and is currently seeking an MFA in Music Composition from VCFA at CalArts.
