Laundresses is a participatory, site-specific performance piece created for the exhibition Rastros del Augua (Traces of Water), which took place in 2026 at the Sala de Arte Los Lavaderos. 
In this performance, nine women rub blocks of Chinese ink onto volcanic stones, each placed in its own pool. Each of the pools contains water and fabric. As the ink wears away and dissolves in the water, the water gradually turns black. The gestures made by the performers are inspired by those carried out by the women whilst washing clothes at this site, when it was used as a public washhouse. This work, linked to domestic and care tasks, was carried out collectively. The piece thus brings to life the site’s historical past and its symbolic memory, as it once served as a centre for gathering, the exchange of knowledge and interpersonal relationships, at a time when women were practically confined to the private sphere. The piece honours the memory and legacy of these women, whose story was silenced for centuries.

© 2026

M.Lohrum

Filmed and edited by Alejandro Marante