Carlos Motta

Set against the 2010 presidential election campaign in Colombia, Six Acts: An Experiment in Narrative Justice is based on a series of performative actions in public squares in Bogotá. Six actors of different social and ethnic backgrounds read peace speeches originally delivered by six Colombian liberal and left-wing political leaders (Jorge Eliécer Gaitán,Luis Carlos Galán, Bernardo Jaramillo Ossa, Jaime Pardo Leal, Carlos Pizarro and Rafael Uribe Uribe) who were assassinated in the last 100 years because of their political ideology.

These "acts" focused on the need to remember the systematic elimination of voices that have dared to oppose the ruling order by articulating their differing points of view and that have denounced by name those responsible for Colombia's repetitive history of political corruption and violence. Drawing upon the notion of "narrative justice;" that is, justice from the perspective of an aesthetic experience instead of a normative concept, this work offers an exercise of collective memory to underscore its transformative potential.

ACT I - RAFAEL URIBE URIBE
Speech: Excerpts from "La Patria y la Libertad" (The Homeland and Freedom) by Rafael Uribe Uribe from 1901. Performed by Carmiña Martínez on March 16, 2010 at El Parque Nacional in Bogotá in front of Uribe Uribe's monument.

ACT II - JORGE ELIECER GAITAN
Speech: "Oración por la Paz" (Prayer for Peace) by Jorge Eliécer Gaitán from 1948. Performed by Dubián Gallego on March 17, 2010 at La Plaza de Bolívar in Bogotá.

ACT III - JAIME PARDO LEAL
Speech: Excerpt of an unidentified speech by Jaime Pardo Leal from 1986. Performed by Ivonne Rodríguez on March 16, 2010 at el Parque de Lourdes in Bogotá.

ACT IV - CARLOS PIZARRO
Speech: "Discurso electoral para la presidencia de Colombia 1990-1994" (Electoral Speech for the Presidency of Colombia 1990-1994) by Carlos Pizarro from 1990. Performed by Lisandro López on March 17, 2010 in the center of Bogotá.

ACT V - LUIS CARLOS GALAN
Speech: "Un programa para la victoria" (A Program for Victory) by Luis Carlos Galán from 1989. Performed by Atala Bernal on March 16, 2010 at el Parque de Soacha where Galán was assassinated.

ACT V (EPILOGUE) - LUIS CARLOS GALAN
Upon the completion of ACT V - LUIS CARLOS GALAN, a group of elderly protestors approached us to ask how we could help with their struggle.

ACT VI - BERNARDO JARAMILLO
Speech: "Por la Paz" (For Peace) by Bernardo Jaramillo from 1989. Performed by Francisco Martínez on March 11, 2010 at el Chorro de Quevedo in Bogotá