About the Work:

What does it mean to have a souvenir?

What memories and signifiers does it carry about one’s existence in a certain time/space? Within this framework Sou / Venir was envisioned. This video piece is part of the interactive performance that was held at Cornell’s AD White House in Ithaca, NY on November 9th, 2022, as part of the Cornell Biennial. Sou / Venir places in dialogue objects/souvenirs as archives, representations, and tools for erasure within the current practices of mass tourism in the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean. In a satirical gesture, the video explores the ways in which the State, individuals and society in the Dominican Republic approach current dilemmas around extraction, colonialism, and imperialism in touristic enterprises. The event was a collaboration between Gina Goico and Patricia Encarnación.