LARA ALMARCEGUI
During my site visits, I was reminded of Lara Almarcegui’s work which occupied the Spanish Pavilion during last years Venice Biennale. In a way comparable to my own practice, Almarcegui examines processes of urban transformation that derive from a cycle of permanent destruction and (re-) construction of the city. Her Guides document empty lands and ruins within the contemporary city, bringing these forgotten areas to public conscience.
Interestingly, she also draws up surveys of all construction materials, including the respective quantities that went into buildings and presents her findings. Based on her research, the artist creates sculptural landscapes by presenting previously unused construction supplies or building piles of recycled materials. When experiencing her work in the 2013 Venice Biennale, I was met by overwhelming, towering mounds of different materials such as brick, concrete and glass: the same type and quantity of materials used by workers to construct the pavilion itself. This combination of Almarcegui’s explorations of the raw fabrics that make up a building in addition to her investigations of sites of change within the city is most fascinating.
I’ve realised recently that I approach my own work in a similar way, firstly by undertaking a deep investigation into the site before transporting my findings to the exhibition space. In the coming months it will be crucial for me to assess how I work outside in the city and my own dialogue with the site before beginning to approach the exhibition space with a critical eye.
