Cumulus
A compilation of images that depict criminal acts and violence sourced from El Gráfico, a sensationalist newspaper in Mexico. The images are covered with a layer of black gouache, while the text at the bottom is left exposed. The work explores the influence of nota roja, a crime news genre in Mexico that heavily relies on graphic images of death to attract readership. Although the genre has been criticized for its sensationalist approach, it has proven to be an effective platform for exposing corruption and impunity in the country's law enforcement and judiciary systems. However, the genre often neglects the dignity of victims and their suffering, with reporters suggesting that victims, particularly women, are responsible for their fate.
The overexposure of violent images in the media has resulted in desensitization towards the plight of victims, many of whom remain anonymous and forgotten. One prominent feature of this project that is deeply rooted in the Mexican circumstance is the anonymity of those lost to violence. Despite being approximately counted, they are rarely named, and their stories are often left in a kind of darkness.
1/3
Year: 2012-2014
Medium: Gouache, sealer, newspaper on acetate
Dimensions: Variable
Installation at Museo Universitario El Chopo, Mexico City.
