Hello,

My name is NiFe, and if you are reading this, you may have seen me walking and listening. I am a multidisciplinary artist focusing on both internal and external landscapes.

'Hear Here' is an ongoing processional series of public durational performances culminating in ephemeral land artworks that deeply explore the concept of belonging. Originating on the urban grounds of Greater Boston, these performances are envisioned to ripple outward like concentric circles, reaching increasingly distant locations. At its heart, the project investigates the intricate relationship between internal and external landscapes, embracing impermanence, resonance, and interconnection through ritual practice. The first performance took place on June 9th, 2024, in East Cambridge, MA.

The performances take place weekly in locations that are either undisturbed by development or have naturally re-emerged after human intervention, where the raw earth is exposed, allowing for direct interaction with the land. The structure of each performance centers around the creation of a perfect circle, a universal symbol of wholeness, continuity, and interconnectedness. Through walking this circle for many hours, the performer embodies the shape, gradually developing a rhythmic relationship with the land. The act of walking the circle is an immersive process that leaves an impression both on the land and the performer, inviting the boundary between self and place to dissolve, creating a sense of home through unfolding familiarity. The circle’s infinite primordial shape provides a visual and physical metaphor for belonging as it is drawn on the earth with each step.

This project asks what it means to belong to and be present for the spirit, ecology, and history of habitats both urban and rural, circumscribed and vast. Through deep amity through listening, the soil, biome, and human resonance of each specific locale has a chance to be witnessed, heard, and taken in. Every corner of this earthen body holds memory in its silt and bark, cells and DNA; through embodied witnessing, a sensitivity can open, allowing one to become aware of its stories. This practice is rooted in recognition and reparation as an enactment. It is an ontological form of guardianship of the histories, life, and ancestors found within each terrain.

In our contemporary era, how do we cultivate meaningful relationships with the land we inhabit, and how can this contribute to a broader conversation in a time when so many are displaced from both internal and external landscapes?

This practice is a pilgrimage ‘in’ rather than ‘to.’ It is a journey ‘into’ relationship with the place, self, and others. Not only does it draw attention to intricate pathways of belonging through varied affiliation, but it also opens up conversations about the healing power of presence. 'Hear Here' seeks to blur the lines between living and art, allowing the process itself to become the artwork. This durational act opens up conversations about the healing power of presence and the ability of the body to connect with the earth in meaningful, transformative ways.

Durational performance art involves acts of endurance, often dealing with time nonlinearly and focusing on bodily actions. The labor is where the work comes alive, enabling transformation. In ‘Hear Here’ for many hours, I fast and walk in steady motion in a circle on soil, grass, and weeds. The self imposed ordeal opens the door for the work to unfold, blurring the lines between living and art.

The clothes I wear are made from old bedsheets, garments we wear nightly as we contact the beyond in our dreams. The color white is chosen for its varied cross-cultural meanings: peace, mourning, death, expansiveness, and the color of all colors combined. The design is a syncretic mix of my cultural background, contemporary and vintage fashion, and long-standing spiritual practices, following the tradition of distinct costumes for specific rituals.