Claudia Pagès Rabal's 'Paper Tears' at Catalonia in Venice 2026

Claudia Pagès Rabal's 'Paper Tears' is a collateral pavilion for Catalonia at the 61st Venice Biennale, curated by Elise Lammer and presented by the Institut Ramon Llull. The installation uses lasers to project historical watermarks from the 15th century, sourced from the Museu Molí Paperer de Capellades, onto the walls of the Docks Cantieri Cucchini. The work explores the political nature of light, the instability of images, and the hidden infrastructures of power. It incorporates a three-act dramaturgical loop with sound by nara is neus, and features inclined platforms designed with architecture studio GOIG. The project connects paper history to water, colonial modernity, and contemporary geopolitics, referencing the Reconquista, expulsion of Muslims and Jews, and the shift of trade routes from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. Pagès Rabal's previous works include 'Gerundi Circular' (2021), 'Typo-Topo-Time Aljibe' (2024), and 'Five Defence Towers' (2025). The Biennale's theme is by Koyo Kouoh.