Palmer Fishman Industries presents... Jessica Hirst: Stigma Transformed

The seed for this piece germinated in 2010 when I read a book about Jews hiding in plain sight in Poland during the World War II period. They changed their names, straightened and lightened their hair, and tried to lighten their skin in an effort to 'pass' as white Christians.

Miami Performance International Festival - Alexei Tellerias

I made a list of all of my personal characteristics that could be stigmatized here or somewhere in the world, now or at sometime in history:

Jewish
white
female
middle-aged
on medication
in therapy
bipolar
immigrant
menstruating
accidental homicide
abortion
raped
left-handed
wealthy
feminist
activist
short
psychotic
mixed marriage
unemployed
American

IMAF Festival, Serbia

I had someone write the list on my skin with a paint only soluble with alcohol - that is, not removable with water.

Miami Performance International Festival - Alexei Tellerias

At first I had the writing of the words take place in preparation for the performance, until I realized that the process of writing on my skin represented the stigmatizing transformation of my personal characteristics. At that point I decided to invited members of the public to write on me, to socially implicate them in this structure we all co-create.

Miami Performance International Festival - Alexei Tellerias

Dimanche Rouge, Petit Bain, Paris - Eliane Akl

Miami - Alexei Tellerias

After the words are written I become aware of their presence, and I try to rub them off, which doesn't work. I try to hide them, whether with other parts of my body or with the surrounding architecture. Of course I cannot hide all the words simultaneously; it is a futile effort.

Abierto de Accion Express, Madrid - Mario Gutierrez Cru

Dimanche Rouge, Paris - Emilia Lombardo

Madrid - Mario Gutierrez Cru

Untitled Gallery, Barcelona - Catherine Sarah Young

Untitled Barcelona - Catherine Sarah Young

After this phase I begin to seek chemical assistance to cover up my stigmas - in the ingredients for a cake.
Sugar
Flour
Eggs
Leavening
(sometimes) chocolate

Paris - Emilia Lombardo

I begin to make a cake on my very skin.

Madrid - Mario Gutierrez Cru

This is where the magic realism comes in: I take out from hiding a fully baked cake, implying that this has come from my skin. In different places I have had very different cakes, from the series of cakes I baked at home in Barcelona to a tres leeches cake in Miami. I either cut the word 'STIGMA' out of the cake or I write in on top with frosting. I then serve the cake to the public, and the stigma is consumed and transformed.