What's happened
Teresa Margolles' installation, 'Mil Veces un Instante,' unveiled in Trafalgar Square, features 726 masks of transgender and non-binary individuals. This piece serves as a tribute to victims of violence, particularly honoring Karla La Borrada, a murdered trans woman. The artwork aims to raise awareness about ongoing violence against the trans community.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Jonathan Jones in The Guardian, Margolles' installation is a haunting reminder of the violence faced by the trans community, stating, "You will be haunted by this sepulchre of the human face." Lanre Bakare, also from The Guardian, emphasizes the piece's role in uniting the trans community, noting that it is a tribute to those killed out of hate. The Independent highlights the artist's background as a forensic pathologist, which informs her approach to exploring themes of death and violence. This multifaceted coverage illustrates the artwork's significance in both artistic and social contexts.
How we got here
The installation is part of the Fourth Plinth project in London, which showcases temporary artworks. Margolles, a former forensic pathologist, draws inspiration from Mesoamerican traditions, specifically the tzompantli, to highlight the violence faced by the trans community, particularly in Mexico.
More on these topics
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Trafalgar Square is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London, built around the area formerly known as Charing Cross.
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Teresa Margolles is a Mexican conceptual artist, photographer, videographer, and performance artist. As an artist she researches the social causes and consequences of death.
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Ciudad Juárez is the most populous city in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. The city is commonly referred to as simply Juárez, and was known as El Paso del Norte until 1888.
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Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea