Visual Imagery by Voluspa Jarpa: «I Don’t Want to Be María» Examines Gender Mandates and Inherited Roles

Original article: Con imaginario visual de Voluspa Jarpa: Obra «No quiero ser María» aborda los mandatos y herencias que atraviesan el cuerpo Visual Imagery by Voluspa Jarpa: «I Don’t Want to Be María» Examines Gender Mandates and Inherited Roles Described by director Javiera Mendoza as an experience rather than a closed narrative, the theatrical proposal «I Don’t Want to Be María» is set to premiere at Teatro del Puente. In this performance, a woman becomes afflicted by an unnamed ailment and undergoes a ritual that deconstructs her identity. «This story revolves around a Chilean woman who, through a metaphysical and ancestral experience, becomes aware of the various identities she has adopted as a woman, daughter, and artist, leading her to a process of unburdening these expectations,» explains the director.

The context is deeply rooted in Latin American heritage, echoing colonial influences. «We utilize this figure as both a mandate over female bodies and a colonial apparatus that has shaped identities throughout Latin America. On stage, this order is challenged by other memories, more akin to rituals, where the body transcends individuality and becomes a contested territory,» details the artist, who leads an interdisciplinary team that includes renowned designer Voluspa Jarpa, Violeta Molyneux in performance, and Kath Maureira in creative assistance.

A Shift Through Immersive Experience Regarding audience interaction in the staging, Javiera Mendoza emphasizes that her goal is for spectators to engage with the experience rather than simply follow a fixed narrative. Thus, the proposal «does not seek to deliver a clear takeaway or impose a slogan but rather to open a sensory journey where these layers can be felt and questioned. It’s a voyage merging the personal and collective, where a woman begins to recognize the various ways in which she has been constructed as a woman, daughter, and artist, ultimately entering a process of releasing those expectations.

» From this perspective, «I Don’t Want to Be María» presents itself as an immersive experience, achieved through both narrative components and performance. Kath Maureira, the creative assistant and costume designer, notes that this production showcases «a body that contains within it the memories of all the territories it has inhabited, and how these translate into styles of movement, clothing, and speech. » Voluspa Jarpa, responsible for the design and visual art of the piece, mentions that this process allows the protagonist to «shed the burdens imposed on her as a woman, daughter, and artist, reaching a consciousness of the ancestral that transforms her life parameters, forms, and meanings.

» Thus, «I Don’t Want to Be María» is framed as «a transition: a body that disassembles, resists mandates, and connects with other memories. I hope that this discomfort becomes a shared experience, prompting reflection on the legacies we bear and which we can break free from, resonating beyond the performance,» adds Voluspa Jarpa. Performance Details The performances of «I Don’t Want to Be María» are scheduled from Thursday to Sunday, between April 25 and May 10, at 7:00 PM.

Tickets are available through Ticketplus. The play has a runtime of 60 minutes. Teatro del Puente is located over the Mapocho River, between Pío Nono and Purísima bridges (in the Parque Forestal area).

More information is available on the theater’s website.