“My interest in feminism only began when I became a mother… Even with a liberated partner, I felt quite alone. That’s when I truly experienced the difference in gender.” — Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen

CNTRFLD. Your upbringing in both the Philippines and Denmark seems to have had a significant impact on your art. How did your childhood and early experiences in both countries shape your artistic journey?

LCR. Since this was literally life changing moving, as an 8-year-old. Surely, it shaped my artistic journey, maybe it even explains why, I became an artist. It made me watchful and question a lot. About whom I am?  My ongoing topic on identity surely has been shaped from my dual cultural background. I have never taken things for granted. I have been looking back a lot to the Philippines, where I got a lot of inspiration from the culture and my childhood memories.

CNTRFLD. As someone with a dual cultural background, how did your early childhood in the Philippines compare to your later years in Denmark? How has this diasporic experience influenced your work?

LCR. The countries and continents are quite different, almost the opposite of each other.

To sketch it up roughly: In Asia people live in collectivism.  In The Nordic countries the society is based on individualism.  I adapt to this, wherever I am: Collectivism vs. Individualism.  But it is also confusing sometimes to be in between both cultures. I would say collectivism seems to be more healthy way of living, but it does have a cost, which is your freedom, which I truly treasure.  I love to be alone, and I don’t like compromises.  I simply create and think better, when I don’t have to consider others.

CNTRFLD. Looking at your experiences as an artist in both Denmark and the Philippines, how would you compare the cultural perceptions of art, and the level of support systems for artists in both environments?

LCR. Interesting that this answer illustrates the exact opposite from the previous, regarding the collective and individualistic.  In Denmark everybody pays tax and 1% of the tax income goes to support the Arts directly; with grants, public commissions, project fundings etc.  So, there is a collective/public support system. Technically, you can benefit from the funds if you are an art professional.   In the Philippines everything is private. Art is embedded in a commercial system.  The galleries, collectors and sponsors have the responsibility and the economic power at the same time.  It gives different dynamics and creates different kinds of art.  I see myself as an institutional artist, my commercial products are less successful compared to my commissions and collaborations with the institutions.

CNTRFLD. In your work, you address themes of identity, gender, culture, and social relations. Could you share how these themes manifest in your art and what drives your exploration of these topics, especially as a woman artist?

LCR. Basically, I am curious on humanity and human behaviour, (his/her) stories The topic of the woman artist is embedded in the works, where I perform and use myself, because I am a woman, I used that layer (of femininity) in the work. My interest in feminism, started only when I became a mother.  It was first then; I could feel and experience the difference on gender.  Even my partner was a liberated, male feminist and artist, but when it came to taking care of the baby, I felt quite alone.

CNTRFLD. You were part of the first international exhibition dedicated to feminist art at the Brooklyn Museum in 2007. How did being part of that landmark exhibition influence your perspective on feminist art, and how has it impacted your practice since then?

LCR. Exhibiting in New York was a life changer too, and it had indeed a big impact on my practice.  I got a collaboration with a gallery there (unfortunately it closed, Renwick Gallery.  Many more exhibitions followed in the coming years.  In 2009-10 I got a one-year residency there and a lot of collaborations and shows.  I was in a performance workshop in MOMA for a year led by Klaus Biesenbach.  I took part in Performa09.  My performance practice basically became more dominant during these years, so the NYC years 2007-2012, were essential. One of my goals of doing a residency in NYC was to find some kind of discourse on performance art, to get inspiration and achieve competition.  There was hardly any performance going on in Denmark in 2007.