Geneva performance Artist Confronts colonial Trauma with Raw Intensity
GENEVA – Performing artist Marvin M’Toumo is currently exhibiting at Villa Arson in Nice,following a formative education at Head-Geneva,where he graduated in design. Two years ago, M’Toumo unveiled Rectum Crocodile at the Adc pavilion in Geneva, a work later presented at the Arsenic festival in Lausanne. The performance featured a procession of striking figures delivering impassioned monologues addressing the historical humiliation and exploitation of colonized peoples and the theft of their cultural heritage.
Rectum Crocodile distinguished itself through a potent combination of lyrical text and deliberately provocative performers. While lauded for its searing critique, the work’s intensity proved overwhelming for some viewers, sparking debate about the boundaries of artistic expression and the reception of politically charged performance. M’Toumo’s work consistently grapples with themes of trauma and memory, notably revealing the wounds of an abused childhood through infernal grace, and positioning him as a vital voice in contemporary art exploring postcolonial reckoning. His current exhibition at Villa Arson builds upon this foundation, continuing to challenge audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about power, history, and the enduring legacy of colonialism.