Doris Salcedo

Salcedo returned to London to fill White Cube Mason’s Yard with two installations that addressed violence, torture and death. Her native Colombia served as inspiration for her works, but rather than simply raising political awareness in the Western World, they induced reflection on the value of oblivion and suffering. The first floor hosted the installation which had already traveled throughout several countries, Plegaria Muda (2008-10), composed of 45 units each formed from two tables, one upright, the other upturned, and joined together by a layer of earth that allowed the growth of green shoots. Each unit had approximately the length and width of a standard coffin, the whole ensemble evoking a collective burial site. Besides representing rebirth through death, the singularity of each table symbolized the fact that human beings retain their individuality even i

The ground floor gallery showcased an enormous shroud, A Flor de Piel (2012), a very delicate piece. Only on closer inspection did the viewer realize that it was made up of thousands of rose petals in a state of semi-decay that had been sewn together. The artist thus paid tribute to the victims of torture by means of a flower offering, as a reminder that even when beauty fades, what remains is still substantial. Salcedo carries out work against violence, corruption and injustice in the social and aesthetic fields.