A B S E N T I A
Bronze
2012 – 2016
Commissioned by the Ministry of Fine Arts of Mexico (Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes)
Art Direction: Mario de Vega
Cinematography: Ollín Miranda
Camera assistant: Antonio Hernández
Photography: Gudinni Cortina, Ollín Miranda, Mario de Vega
Performed by Carlos Martín del Campo Glockner, Manuel Leyva and Carlos Leyva.
2013
– Bell founding by Manuel Leyva at Zacualtipán de los Ángeles, Mexico.
– Bronze bell without clapper displayed over a beton plate, covered with 10 mm glass exhibited at the main entrance of LAA. Mexico City, Mexico. Solo exhibition curated by Carsten Seiffarth.
2014
– Destruction of bronze bell made by Manuel and Carlos Leyva at Zacualtipán de los Ángeles, Mexico.
2015
– 2 channel video installation exhibited at OVADA. Oxford, England. Group exhibition curated by Stephen Cornford.
– 32 segments exhibited at Marso Gallery. Mexico City, Mexico. Group exhibition curated by Michel Blancsubé.
2016
– Burial of 32 segments in various locations in Mexico City, Mexico.
– Cartography printed on gouche paper of 60 gms exhibited in Mexico City at LAA. Group exhibition curated by Carsten Seiffarth.
– Publication exhibited at Kunstraum Bethanien. Berlin, Germany. Group exhibition curated by Carsten Seiffarth.
2019
– Lambda Print exhibited at Sound Unheard. Goethe Institut Paris. Paris, France. – Group exhibition curated by Daniele Balit, Katharina Scriba, Anne Zeitz.
– Last 4 pieces of the bell were buried in the Convent of the Capuchines Nuns in Querétaro, Mexico. Solo exhibition curated by Michel Blancsubé.
Editions
Hardcover book, 30x30cm, 148 p. Edition of 150.
Hardcover book, 30x30cm, 328 p. Edition of 10.
12” vinyl record with dual tone print. Edition of 300.
❦
Juana María González Guerrero
Ollín Miranda
Tania Aedo
Carsten Seiffarth
Víctor Mazón Gardoqui
Mariana García
Maru Calva
Angel Tovar Mercado
Gudinni Cortina
Carlos Martín del Campo Glockner
In June 2013, as part of a solo exhibition entitles SIN, curated by Carsten Seiffarth, a bell was cast with 600 kg of bronze in Zacualtipán de Los Angeles, Mexico, a location in which one of the last remains of bell foundry tradition in Mexico is still alive. A B S E N T I A was a bell produced to remain silent until its destruction. The destruction took place in 2014 at the same location where it was produced and by the artisans who cast it: Manuel Leyva and Carlos Leyva.
In August 2016, each one of the segments of the destroyed bell was buried in assigned locations in Mexico City, remaining -or not- as a permanent installation in public space. A printed map with precise GPS coordinates accompanies this part of the project.
As a permanent intervention, in July 2019 the last 4 pieces of the bell were buried in the Convent of the Capuchines Nuns in Querétaro, Mexico as part of a solo exhibition entitled “Quæris quo jaceas post obitum loco?. Quo non nata jacent.”curated by Michel Blancsubé.
Two inscriptions were engraved on the object: A map, and a segment of Das Lied von der Glocke, by Friedrich Schiller in Latin VIVOSVOCOMORTUOSPLANGOFULGURAFRANGO.
A 120 pages publication and a 12″ vinyl record compile the documentation of the work.
