Couple in the Cage: Two Undiscovered Amerindians Visit the West is a performance art piece written, directed, and staged by Coco Fusco and Guillermo Gomez-Pena for their international touring art exhibition The Year of the White Bear and Two Undiscovered Amerindians Visit the West.
The performance aimed to bring attention to the abuse and maltreatment suffered by Native Americans after the arrival of Europeans to colonize America. The artists presented themselves as "Amerindians" of a previously undiscovered island of Guatinau, putting themselves into a cage and doing daily activities such as watching television, taking photos with tourists. They were aided by staff who would dispose cage waste and feed them.
The performance was staged in 8 different locations across America and other countries- California, Madrid, London, Minneapolis, Washington DC, Sydney, Chicago, and New York, often in front of a museum or university setting. The performance piece was heavily controversial, with mixed public reception as some people were confused by the project, or believed it to be not ethically sound.
