Aïda Gómez is using urban space as her stage and her laboratory with her recently directed public performance in Porto, Portugal. A matter of daily city life and self-governance, our reliance upon the presumably reliable mechanized interchanging of the illuminated figure symbol is unquestioned.

Here he/she is telling us to go and to stop; our obeyance is so ingrained in us as a patterned behavior that it doesn’t reach the upper region of consciousness most days.

Aïda Gómez. Mr. Red & Mr. Green. Portugal. (photo © Aïda Gómez)

A simple personification of the figures here on a crosswalk jolts people out of their pattern, and the minimalistic approach is without reproach. Here is this red mime in sneakers gesturing with a full range of body signals delivered in the spirit of mimicry, cautiously enacting hesitation, a suspense of action, pensive waiting.

Aïda Gómez. Mr. Red & Mr. Green. Portugal. (photo © Aïda Gómez)

The red figure is suddenly replaced by the green one; drolly sauntering, strolling, skipping, rolling across the walkway – a fully formed figurative performance of the various expectable and acceptable mechanics involved for propelling a human forward through space.

Aïda Gómez. Mr. Red & Mr. Green. Portugal. (photo © Aïda Gómez)

A curiosity? Yes. Mesmerizing? Maybe. An opportunity to draw attention to a few lines from the civic code of our programmed public behavior? Definitely.

See a video of the performance at the end of this post.

Aïda Gómez. Mr. Red & Mr. Green. Portugal. (photo © Aïda Gómez)

Aïda Gómez. Mr. Red & Mr. Green. Portugal. (photo © Aïda Gómez)

Aïda Gómez. Mr. Red & Mr. Green. Portugal. (photo © Aïda Gómez)

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