Doris Salcedo at the Palacio de Cristal...

10:55 a.m.

10/19/17 - Colombian artist Doris Salcedo created an artwork in which the chosen material (water) emerges and dissipates right before the eyes of the visitors. It's part of a heavy installation (several tons), placed at the Palacio de Cristal in Madrid, which combines architecture, engineering and computing so that we can see hundreds of names appear and disappear. The names belong to those who have lost their lives in the Mediterranean Sea, trying to reach the coasts of Europe. Salcedo makes visible the story of thousands of persons who migrate to begin a better life but never make it to their destination.

Water drops form a name, in a certain part of the floor of the Palacio, but it then disappears to be replaced by another name. They are like ethereal tombstones of the victims of the sea. Thus the title "Palimpsesto", which refers to a manuscript that has been erased by scratching or another method, to allow a new writing.

From the beginning of her career, Salcedo (Bogotá, 1958) went to the most troubled areas in her country to bring forth the drama of the victims in her first artworks. Today she presents to us another drama but in her particular "non-violent way". In spite of the overwhelming silence at the Palacio de Cristal, the tragedy behind each name shouts a very political message.