Teresa Margolles and the Aesthetics of Death

Julia Banwell

Description

This book is the first and most extensive academic monograph to be published on the work of the Mexican neo-conceptual artist Teresa Margolles. A range of art works produced by Margolles throughout the length of her career, which began in the 1990s (as part of the SEMEFO collective) and continues to the present day, are explored from such theoretical perspectives as the philosophy of death; the difficult spectatorship of death and the corpse; approaches to the representation of death and dead bodies in art from inside and outside Mexico; and the response of art to traumatic events in Mexico during and since the 1990s. The extensive scope of the study is a significant contribution to scholarly material on the artist, attending to difficult questions around art and ethics; its analysis of Margolles’s work is situated within the contexts of the long tradition of the display of real bodies and body parts in Mexican visual culture, against the backdrop of the effects of NAFTA and the War on Drugs.

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter One
From Social Corpus to Social Corpse: Social Issues in Teresa Margolles’ Artwork
Chapter Two
The Aesthetics of Death
Chapter Three
Morgue and Corpse Art
Chapter Four
Performance of Objects and Substances
Chapter Five
Margolles, Mexican Art and Mexicanness
Conclusions

Sujets

• Arts visuels
• Histoire des Arts
• Histoire des Arts
• Hispanic American
• Art
• American

Informations

• Publié par: University of Wales Press
• Date de parution: 15 juin 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781783162512
• Langue: English

Extrait

IBERIAN AND LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES
Teresa Margolles and the Aesthetics of Death
Series Editors
Professor David George (Swansea University) Professor Paul Garner (University of Leeds)
Editorial Board
David Frier (University of Leeds) Lisa Shaw (University of Liverpool) Gareth Walters (Swansea University) Rob Stone (Swansea University) David Gies (University of Virginia) Catherine Davies (University of Nottingham)
Richard Cleminson (University of Leeds) Duncan Wheeler (University of Leeds)
Jo Labanyi (New York University)
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The Mexican Transition: Politics, Culture and Democracy in the Twenty-first Century
Roger Bartra
Adolfo Bioy Casares: Borges, Fiction and Art
Karl Posso
Barcelona: Visual Culture, Space and Power
Helena Buffery Carlota Caulfield
From Silver Screen to Spanish Stage: The Humorists of the Madrid Vanguardia and Hollywood Film
Stuart Nishan Green
Modern Argentine Poetry: Exile, Displacement, Migration
Ben Bollig
Catalonia: National Identity and Cultural Policy
Kathryn Crameri
Melancholy and Culture: Diseases of the Soul in Golden Age Spain
Roger Bartra
The Poetics of Otherness in Antonio Machado s Proverbios y Cantares
Nicolas Fernandez-Medina
IBERIAN AND LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES
Teresa Margolles and the Aesthetics of Death
JULIA BANWELL
Julia Banwell, 2015
Cover image: Teresa Margolles, Catafalco/Catafalque SEMEFO, 1997; courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written permission of the copyright owner except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Applications for the copyright owner s written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to The University of Wales Press, 10 Columbus Walk, Brigantine Place, Cardiff CF10 4UP.
www.uwp.co.uk
British Library CIP A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978-0-78316-249-9 eISBN 978-1-78316-251-2
The right of Julia Banwell to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77, 78 and 79 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Contents

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1: From Social Corpus to Social Corpse: Social Issues in Teresa Margolles Artwork
Chapter 2: The Aesthetics of Death
Chapter 3: Morgue and Corpse Art
Chapter 4: Performance of Objects and Substances
Chapter 5: Margolles, Mexican Art and Mexicanness
Conclusions
Notes
Bibliography
List of Illustrations

Black and white
Figs 1 , 2 , 3
Tarjetas para picar coca na/Cards to cut cocaine , Mexico City, 1997-9 Diptych, colour photographs, 12 cards (colour paper in plastic) Edn of 4 1 AP 1 EP 92.5 117.5 cm (36 3/8 46 1/4 inch), framed each Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 4
Autorretratos/Self-Portraits (no. 4), March 1998 (1998)
Colour photograph Edn of 4 1 EP 1 AP 100 125 cm (39 3/8 49 1/4 inch)
Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 5
Autorretratos/Self-Portraits (no. 3), March 1998 (1998)
Colour photograph Edn of 4 1 AP 1 EP 100 125 cm (39 3/8 49 1/4 inch)
Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Figs 6 , 7 , 8
L nea/Line , 2005 Triptych, 3 colour photographs Edn of 6 1 AP 1 EP 33.5 103.5 cm (13 1/4 40 3/4 inch), framed Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Figs 9 , 10
127 cuerpos/127 Bodies , 2006 Installation, thread approx. 33.5 meters Photograph: Achim Kukulies Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 11
Lengua/Tongue , 2000 Object Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 12
Lavado de cuerpo/Washing of the Body , 2004 Colour photograph Edn of 6 1 AP 1 EP 66 100 cm (26 39 3/8 inch), framed Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 13
Entierro/Burial , 1999
Foetus in a block of cement 15.5 66 43 cm (6 1/8 26 16 7/8 inch)
Exhibition view Fin sin muerte , Museum f r moderne Kunst, Frankfurt, 2004 Photograph: Axel Schneider Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 14
Catafalco/Catafalque , SEMEFO, 1997 Gypsum Unique 83 45 18 cm (32 5/8 17 3/4 7 1/8 inch)
Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 15
Sonidos de la muerte/Sounds of Death , 2008 Installation, 24 loudspeakers with sound Size variable Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 16
Sonido de la primera incisi n tor cica durante la autopsia a una victima de asesinato/Sound of the first thoracic incision during the autopsy of a murder victim (Sonidos de la morgue/Sounds of the Morgue), 2006 Sound work, 66 min., looped Edn of 4 1 AP 1 EP Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 17
Trepanaciones (Sonidos de la morgue)/Trepanations (Sounds of the Morgue) , 2003 Sound piece, 24 min., looped Installation with 1 CD player and headphones or loud speakers Edn of 4 1 AP 1 EP Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 18
Dermis/Derm , 1996, SEMEFO Impressions of corpses fluids in the sheets of public hospitals Mexico City, Mexico, September 1996 Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 19
Papeles de la morgue/Paper from the Morgue (#10), 2003 Water drawing on fabriano paper with water that has been used to wash dead bodies after autopsy 60 80.5 cm (23 5/8 31 3/4 inch), framed Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 20
Ciudad en espera/City on call , Havana, October 2000, 2000
Diptych, colour photograph Edn of 4 1 AP 1 EP 92.5 92.5 cm (36 3/8 x 36 3/8 inch), framed each Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 21
Ca da libre/Free Fall , 2005 Droplets of human fat collected from the morgue that fell, one per minute, directly onto the floor; the droplets accumulated during the time of the exhibition Unique Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 22
Untitled , 2006
Fluids, steel, heating element The fall of water which was used, after an autopsy, to wash the bodies of people who were murdered Variation of 2 40 102 102 cm (15 3/4 40 1/8 40 1/8 inch)
Photograph: Teresa Margolles Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 23
Vaporizaci n/Vaporization , 2001 Installation with 1-2 smoking machines, dimensions variable Edn of 4 1 AP Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Figs 24 , 25
Lavado de coches / Car Wash , 2003 Single channel video, color, sound Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Figs 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30
Recados P stumos/Posthumous Messages (small series), 2006 5 colour photographs Intervention involving suicide notes on the canopies of five abandoned cinemas in Guadalajara, Jalisco Edn of 5 1 EP 1 AP 40.5 51 cm (16 20 1/8 inch)
Paper: 51 61 cm Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 31
Estudio de la ropa de c daver/Study of corpse s clothes , SEMEFO, 1997 Installation consisting of 5 items of clothing Unique 60 280 70 cm (23 5/8 110 1/4 27 1/2 inch)
Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Figs 32 , 33
Joyas/Jewels , 2007 Installation, 5 jewels, 10 carat gold, including an inlay of pieces of broken glass 170 40 40 cm (66 7/8 15 3/4 15 3/4 inch) each display case (6 total)
Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 34
Irrigaci n/Irrigation , 2013 Single channel video projection, colour, sound, 34.12 min. Edn of 4 Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Figs 35 , 36 , 37
Sobre el dolor/On Sorrow , 2006 Glass Pavement Sample Tile 50 50 3 cm (19 5/8 19 5/8 1 1/8 inch) Commissioned by Liverpool Biennial International 06 , 2006 Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 38
Un Diamante para la Corona/A Diamond for the Crown , 2012 Diamond 3/4 carat, 58 face cut, made with the remains of burned wood in buildings after riots that took place in London in 2011 Unique Exhibition view, A Diamond for the Crown , Glasgow Sculpture Studios, Glasgow, UK, 2012 Photograph: Teresa Margolles Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
Fig. 39
Lote Bravo , 2005
Installation of 400 mud bricks, dimensions variable Unique Courtesy of Teresa Margolles, Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich, and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Colour
1
Papeles de la morgue/Paper from the Morgue (#9), 2003 Water drawing on fabriano paper with water that has been used to wash dead bodies after autopsy 60 80.5 cm (23 5/8 31 3/4 inch), framed Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
2
Grumos sobre la piel/Lump of grease on the skin , Barcelona, June 2001, 2001 4 colour photographs Edn of 4 1 AP 1 EP 46.5 46.5 cm (18 1/4 18 1/4 inch), framed Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
3
Ca da libre/Free Fall , 2005 Droplets of human fat collected from the morgue that fell, one per minute, directly onto the floor; the droplets accumulated during the time of the exhibition Unique Courtesy of Teresa Margolles and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Z rich
4
What Else Could We Talk About? , 2009 Installation consisting of a repeating performance carried out by 1 up to 3 people and fabrics mounted on a humidifying structure (these fabrics were used to clean the places where the bodies of murdered people were found in the cities of Culiac n, Ciudad Ju rez and Tijuana)
Unique All-over 500 400 515 cm (or minimum 500 400