With Womens Work: Crystal Peñalosa - Vulnerability & Growth

Thursday, February 11th, at 8pm EST, ISSUE is pleased to stream Vulnerability & Growth, an erotic short film by artist and interdisciplinary designer Crystal Peñalosa. The piece is part of the With Womens Work series, commissioning artists to interpret and respond to scores included in Womens Work, a magazine first edited and self-published in 1975 by Alison Knowles and Annea Lockwood.

Notes from Crystal Peñalosa on Vulnerability & Growth:

Vulnerability and Growth is an erotic short film that explores the textures and mutable forms of my body. The film documents a breathwork practice that I use to connect to my body and its sensations. The hope of these practices lead to a newer version of self that embraces both the beautiful and painful aspects.

The piece responds to the Media Sculptures: Maps of Space scores by pioneering video artist Mary Lucier included in Womens Work Volume #1, 1975.

Cinematography: Plenilunix

Crystal Peñalosa (she/they) is an artist and interdisciplinary designer based in New York. Their work focuses on self-compassion practices while engaging with authenticity and personal safety. She has performed collaboratively and presented solo works in New York at The New School, MoMA PS1, Roulette, ISSUE Project Room, SPEKTRUM in Berlin, and at the Golden Pudel in Hamburg. She currently works with the veteran underground record label Generations Unlimited, Voluminous Arts record label, and with the New Jersey Governor’s Office of Innovation.