‘Irrintzi - Itziar Okariz’

Itziar Okariz systematically performs a series of irrintzis. An irrintzi is a traditional Basque shout which is made, to express joy on special occasions or political protests during collective celebrations. Its origin can be found in an ingenious communication system used in the Basque valleys. The shout becomes a basic syntax within the language.

Itziar Okariz’s actions have become the subject of public discussions because they question the rules of language and the production of gestures which define us as individuals. Itziar Okariz uses processes which decontextualise signifiants or reverse the roles of the observer and the observed, from a feminist point of view. She studied at the University of the Basque Country’s Faculty of Fine Arts and participated in several workshops in Arteleku, San Sebastian. She moved to New York in 1996 where, in 2000-2001, she participated in the Whitney Independent Studio Program. Her works can be found in the collections of galleries such as Magasin (Grenoble), Centro 2 de Mayo (Madrid) and Casa Galería (México DF).