"Between the experience of pain and nothing, I choose pain”
(William Faulkner).
A life without experiences of pain is a half-life. However, when we remember, it is not the original experiences that we evoke, but their last update, since our brain stores remnants of memories that we recompose every time we recall them. Thus, the more times we remember an event, the greater its distortion.
Starting from this peculiar functioning of the mind, Pablo Mercado's work seeks to connect these theories in the visual field from different approaches.
Fragmented Memories: The fragmentation and reconstruction in small parts of an object creates a new identity, an evocation of the bits of information in our mind that come together to form a new memory with elements removed and new pieces added.
Limb of Theseus: Reflection on the Theseus paradox that poses if an object remains the same when some of its parts have been replaced. This story is a metaphor for the survival of memory and identity even in spite of its continuous decomposition and reconstruction.
Your stain on my skin: It subtly and masterfully presents how the imprint of people who are no longer there leaves an indelible memory on our skin, a memory that we know will continue to evolve and become part of our being.
Mercado's work tirelessly seeks to understand the processes of remembering and forgetting. Together, the parts of this exhibition form a nostalgic visual study of the enigma of our brain.
