Doris Salcedo: Plegaria Muda

This book presents the renowned artist Doris Salcedo’s latest large-scale installation, which is a moving tribute to those who die needlessly and violently in every corner of the world. This exhibition catalog highlights Salcedo’s most recent work, in which the artist commemorates violent deaths around the world. In particular, the work can be seen as an artistic response to the murder of some 1,500 young men by groups within the Colombian army from 2003 to 2009. Salcedo’s installation Plegaria Muda, which can be translated as "silent prayer," comprises a large number of similar, roughly hewn tables, placed in pairs with one table upside down on top of another. Between the table tops is a layer of densely packed soil, and thin blades of grass force their way through the tiniest spaces in the table-tops. The wood’s grey hue and smooth, dull surface contrasts with the mossy contours of the soil, and with the jewel-like delicacy of the grass. These unmarked burial grounds characterize Salcedo’s talent for transforming mundane objects into eloquent works of art. Full-page illustrations capture the installation’s palette and somber patterns, allowing the reader to experience the sorrow and solace of Salcedo’s work. In addition, this volume includes images of Salcedo’s other sculptures, including Shibboleth, the Unland, and La Casa Viuda series, along with essays by curator Isabel Carlos and other acclaimed critics.