Lo Cura Hidalgo: A Performative Transformation of Mexico's Symbolic Father

In 2010, I transformed Mexico's legendary priest and independence leader from one who heals (curar) to one who represents madness (locura). His original moniker, "El Cura Hidalgo," translates as Father Hidalgo. The noun cura means father or priest, but it is also a verb that means "to cure." The word game is a play on Father Hidalgo Cure You, creating the pun Lo Cura Hidalgo, which means both Hidalgo Cures It and The Madness Hidalgo. Hidalgo will father you, will cure you. My reference to madness relates to my country's narco-dependency: a war on drugs that resulted in 28,000 deaths during first four years of Felipe Calderon's presidency. In 2011, the fifth year of Calderon's government, the death toll rose to nearly 50,000.

My performance was presented as part of "Anger and Desire," a series of cultural events organized by visual artist Antonio Ortíz Gritón to counteract the dull official celebrations that the Federal Bobierno (a contraction of "dumb" and "government") organized for the Mexican Bicentennial. It took place on 1 May 2010 in Mexico City, at the corner of Universidad and Copilco.

My character, Lo Cura Hidalgo, walked the streets begging for money to support a new independence movement. I repeated to passersby: "Even if it's only change, it's what this country needs most: CHANGE."

Real independence will be achieved when all Mexicans are able to get through the day with something in their stomachs.

Originally, Father Hidalgo used a banner with the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe as a symbol of independence. Lo Cura Hidalgo used a banner with a variety of slogans, changing the message depending on the context.

Before begging for alms in Anxiedad DFcaos¹ I would raise signs with phrases such as:

What are we celebrating? Slavery to the IMF, the International Macabre Fund? 100 Years of CorruPRIsión?²

There is enough for everyone, regardless of the military post or front you occupy.

22,000 deaths so far during this presidency.

Will you give me something for my independence? Even if it's CHANGE. It's what we need.

Leninist taxi drivers invariably demonstrated their solidarity with my cause. They cooperated with me during the performance.

Photos by Maestro Jorge Morales Moreno. Makeup by Jorge Siller

Sometimes Lo Cura Hidalgo would interact with viewers with such comments as: "If you don't have change, I can give it to you." "Can I have my independence back? It's already been taken."

During the three hours of the performance, Lo Cura Hidalgo made 360 pesos, which is about US$28.00. This is five times the minimum wage per day in Mexico, a record for a downtrodden official.

For more information, please see: www.martinezsilva.com/index.php?/artivismo/lo-cura-hidalgo/