top of page

BODY,
MEMORY
AND TERRITORY.

 

2012-2024

Copy of Build-what-we-hate-Destroy-what-we-love-01132024_112621 copy.jpg

Lagunas Mentales

2023

9-channel video Installation, 3.5 minutes

https://apexart.org/delgado.php

I explore the profound impact of personal memories on the broader narrative of national history. Through my work, I create large-scale photographic installations that blend personal and collective experiences. By deliberately manipulating archives, I portray fragmented family chronicles, weaving together cherished recollections. The act of cutting, slicing, and mending mirrors the journey of countless immigrants who leave behind their possessions, yet strive to preserve their stories and memories. My art serves as a testament to the resilience and determination of those who seek to perpetuate their legacies in the face of displacement and change.

sos.jpg

Huellas

2021.
Digital Photography.

The human body is a complex canvas that bears witness to our individuality and stores our memories. Fingerprints, a unique identifier, set us apart from others, even those closest to us. In this project, images infused with intoxicating substances blur the boundaries of our identity, revealing our sense of belonging and the traumas that reside within our bodies. The body is examined through different lenses: as a furtive, stamped, studied, severed, or guilty entity.

The global issue of migration has affected 7.1 million people in Venezuela, and the body bears the weight of this burden. Memories are not just dragged by weary feet, but by the fatigue of displacement. This project comprises 10 words that explore the intersection of identity, trauma, and migration.

INMIGRANTE

VENEZOLANO

DEZPLAZADO

REFUGIADO

EXTRANJERO

DESTROZADO

EXPLOTADOS

DEVASTADOS

EXPROPIADO

ASESINADOS

BANDERA COLOR.00_01_43_19.Imagen fija003.jpg

Bandera de Venezuela - Genealogía de la violencia.

2019
Video performance.

The body and the word are the protagonists in this proposal, the image that is presented is divided in half horizontally, where a pair of arms appears along with the sound of the wind that increases its ferocity and presence as the video progresses, the wind seems to bring them down and makes them wave like a flag.

The body as a representation of an object is a transition towards an increasingly specific and abstract, which faces symbolic elements that encompass ideas of identity and territory, as is the flag, and decomposes them to generate a poetic discourse that includes it more ideas of Individual complexes.

The text is born from a selection of verses that refer to the violence of the state hymns of the region, being then reorganized as a genealogical investigation of the violence that exists in the country, generating a more sensitive projection and open to interpretations about the territory and the ways of referring to it.

AAAl.jpg

La espada de Bolivar

2019.
Flag and machete installation.

During his government, Hugo Chávez dedicated himself to delivering replicas of the sword of the Liberator Simón Bolívar to presidents of other nations, officials of the national government, and athletes. After Chávez, Maduro has made different replicas of the famous sword to give to those who helped him in his transit through government roads.

Bashar Háfez al-Ássad, Raul Castro, Nestor Kirchner, Lula Da Siva, Robert Mugabe, Rafael Correa, Recep Tayyip ErdoğanMuamar Muhamad  Gadafi, Vladímir Putin (2), CORPOELECT workers, Iris Varela, Elías Jaua, Tarek William Saab, Jorge Arreaza, Diosdado Cabello,  These symbols of arms/agreements have left an isolated, impoverished and devastated country.

00-3-2.jpg

La resilencia del cuerpo.(Modificación corporal por presión)

2018.
Digital photography.

This series presents temporary body modifications through pressure, intricate figures appear in patterns on my body, forms that arise from the same adaptability and resistance of matter, these are made for long and painful intervals with regular objects like coins and tablecloths, then over time, they disappear to their natural state without leaving a mark,  existing only as witnesses of violence.

The issue of torture is a serious problem in my country, in 2012 the government of Venezuela sought its withdrawal from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (Inter-American Court of Human Rights). Recently the government has been accused of serious Human Rigths abuses against citizens and politicians,  This information was denied or silenced by the regime but is a latent threat to any dissident voices.

IMG_3446.jpg

Venezuela 1-4500

2017-2018

Performance y photography

Venezuela 1-4500" is an art project that marks my first experience as a Venezuelan immigrant in Argentina. Upon discovering a street named Venezuela just a few blocks from my new home, I was inspired to transform it into a canvas for my memories. I decided to adorn the walls along the entire length of the street with 100 photographs from my family album. This act served as both a presentation and a tribute, expressing my gratitude to my new country. The result was a unique artwork spanning 4.5 kilometers, where passersby could immerse themselves in my cherished memories and even take a piece of them with them.

Movimiento Aparente- Juan Perez.jpg

Iconografía de la desgracia.

2019.
Flag and machete installation.

This artwork draws on the historical significance of the Venezuelan national flag's eighth star, which was added in 2006. At the time, the star was compared to communist and socialist symbols, and this piece explores the tension and controversy surrounding its incorporation.

The installation is a striking 7-meter-long black flag with a perforated star suspended from the ceiling. The flag appears to surrender and fall to the ground, while the flagpole has been transformed into a weapon used to stab itself. The star's absence creates a void, an illusion that it exists on an unattainable plane.

Through this artwork, the artist questions the meaning and symbolism of the eighth star and its relationship to Venezuela's political and social history. The installation's stark black color and use of negative space emphasize the complex and often conflicting emotions surrounding the addition of the star. The artwork challenges the viewer to reflect on the ways in which symbols can be used and misused in the service of ideology and power.

HIMNO NACIONAL DE VENEZUELA (INSTRUMENTAL).00_00_19_06.Still018.png

Himno Nacional de Venezuela.

2018.

VideoPerformance.

As an immigrant from Venezuela, I carry the weight of a country that has suffered from unimaginable violence. I remember watching the televised anthem at midnight, where my home transformed into a chorus of televisions displaying idyllic images that identified us as Venezuelans. However, these images masked the harsh reality of violence that plagued our country. In 2017 alone, 26,616 violent deaths were recorded in Venezuela, and since 1999, more than 250,000 lives have been lost.

My video performance seeks to unveil the truth and create visuals that depict the raw reality of the violence in Venezuela. Through this piece, I transform an empty space into a stage for the national anthem of Venezuela, where the performer, played by myself, becomes a victim of violence. The rhythmic beat of the anthem serves as a haunting backdrop to the performer's sudden shock and fall. The absence of help and approach in the video serves as a metaphor for the lack of support that victims of violence in Venezuela experience.

As an immigrant artist, this project is a way for me to heal and process the trauma of violence that has affected me personally and in my home country. By sharing this video performance, I hope to raise awareness of the violence in Venezuela and encourage a dialogue for change.

monumentos.jpg

Cómo construir un monumento

2019-2020,
Video performance.

he conceptualization is based on the idea of generating monuments that represent migrant movements around the world, addressing a crisis for many countries, and an opportunity for others. This search for territorialization in various key points of the Barrio de La Boca results in this compilation of video performances in public space as  Ephemeral and nomadic monuments and a sculpture piece.

The first work seeks to represent the nomadic or non-permanent movements, this consists of 15 pieces of video performance where the action of climbing various structures and urban furniture that represent a space of belonging in the neighborhood, upright and immobile for an average of 8 minutes and then leave the place.

delta.jpg

Las armas nos escudan

2020.
Digital flags

This work presents the 24 heraldic emblems or coats of arms of each state of Venezuela, Raised as a series of black spots on a red background, where some elements stand out recognizable ones that talk about the specific characteristics of the territory Birds, weapons and vegetation are some of the aspects that are constantly repeated seeking to establish an open dialogue of their content and significance.

P1020169.JPG

Ejercicios de latencia.
(El comunismo mata más que un virus).

2020.
Photo performance

This photo-performance piece draws from the recent tragedy of those lost to the Covid-19 pandemic. It portrays their images amassed side by side, resembling a sea of sorrows, before shifting the focus to the context of Venezuelans. These individuals have been deeply affected by violence, understanding the plight of being confined to their homes, living in fear, and struggling to secure necessities like food. Venezuelans have endured a form of quarantine for years, unbeknownst to many, and this artwork prompts reflection on the parallels between various forms of hardship and resilience.

Scan0101_edited.jpg

Memoria Privada.

2012 / 2022.Expanded Photography.

In "Private Memory," my artistic focus revolves around exploring individual and collective memory through photographic imagery. I'm intrigued by how these photographs capture specific moments in people's lives—moments that hold significance not only for those who experienced them but also for those who view them. I aim to rescue these memories from oblivion and present them in a way that prompts reflection on identity and history. Through research in archives and meticulous image selection, I strive to reconstruct fragments of the past and imbue them with new meaning in the present context. I'm particularly interested in how these photographs can spark new narratives and inquiries about the individuals depicted and the events they portray. Ultimately, my work seeks to underscore the importance of preserving memory as a fundamental aspect of our understanding of the world around us.

bottom of page