“Mensaje Explícito” is a performance and video art work presented in 2008 at the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB), combining body, politics, and social critique in a reflection on contemporary consumerism.
The performance features an internationally renowned cast of artists. Leading the project is Toro, a pioneer of body modifications in Spain and the first piercer to perform body suspensions in the country. Toro is internationally recognized not only for his groundbreaking body art performances but also for inventing new types of piercings, marking historic milestones in Spain and the global body art scene. Accompanying him is Binho, a prominent Brazilian artist in piercing, body modification, and scarification, whose technical skill and conceptual depth add layers of meaning to this artistic experience.
The work unfolds as an act of resistance against the disease of consumption that permeates contemporary cities. “Mensaje Explícito” addresses excess as a force that, by filling great voids, drives the expansion of the city through the constant circulation of money. The visual and performative narrative examines the saturation of daily life with logos, neon lights, and consumer habits, inviting viewers to reflect on the scale of consumption and its impact on urban identity.
The questions raised —How many hamburgers does McDonald’s sell? How many are thrown away? How many T-shirts does Nike produce daily?— are philosophically unsettling, challenging the audience’s perception and their own reflections on global sustainability. The work highlights the uncertainty of whether the planet has enough resources to feed and clothe us, excluding the devastated territories hidden behind the veil of progress.
“Mensaje Explícito” combines extreme corporeality, body art aesthetics, and video art to create a critical and sensory space where the audience is confronted with the paradoxes of modern consumption and collective responsibility toward the world we inhabit.
