Displacement (1998–1999)

This performance piece channels extraordinary physical and mental stamina to explore exile, uprooting, and fragility through a charged political lens. Bruguera crafts an immersive encounter that seeps into viewers, forging a visceral "lived memory" where the lines between artwork and existence dissolve. It stands as a raw testament, fusing art with reality to mend inner wounds or ignite critical self-examination in witnesses.

Rooted in Afro-Caribbean syncretic faiths, the work sees Bruguera incarnate the Nkisi Nkondi—a potent fetish entity from Cuban lore that fulfills pleas in return for vows and tributes, only to hunt down and retaliate against oath-breakers. Her version manifests as a colossal garment layered with Cuban soil and studded with jutting nails, each spike evoking the fervent appeals of supplicants. Donning this burdensome form, she stirs to life and prowls Havana's avenues, enacting a hunt for her "betrayers," turning her form into a vessel that merges personal turmoil with communal critique.

In the end, the piece elevates performance beyond mere ideas, prioritizing tangible societal and ideological ripple effects—redefining the form with interventions that echo profoundly, far past fleeting stories.