Description

This exhibition catalogue highlights Salcedo's most recent work, in which the artist commemorates and universalizes the global epidemic of violent deaths. In particular, the work can be seen as an artistic response to the murder of some 1,500 young men by the Colombian army from 2003 to 2009. Salcedo's installation Plegaria Muda, which can be translated as silent prayer,A" comprises groupings of dozens of identical, roughly hewn tables. Embedded in these tables are chunks of earth and blades of grass. The wood's grey hue and smooth, dull surface contrasts with the mossy contours of the soil and with the jewel-like delicacy of the grass. These unmarked burial grounds characterize Salcedo's talent for transforming mundane objects into eloquent works of art. Full-page illustrations capture the installation's palette and sombre patterns, allowing the reader to experience the sorrow and solace of Salcedo's work. In addition, this volume includes images of Salcedo's other sculptures, including Shibboleth, the Unland, and La Casa Viuda series, along with essays by curator Isabel Carlos and other acclaimed critics.