Lara Almarcegui's Spoil Heaps and Sand Drawings at CarrerasMugica

Lara Almarcegui's exhibition at CarrerasMugica in Bilbao explores landscapes shaped by demolition, quarrying, and dredging activities. Her piece 'Die Halden in Deutschland' quantifies the volume of Germany's largest spoil heaps, showcased on a 17-metre wall at Kunstmuseum Moritzburg Halle (Saale), reflecting 175 years of mining waste. The largest heap, known as Sophienhöhe, contains 2.2 billion cubic metres of lignite refuse. Almarcegui's sketches for unrealized projects suggest installations utilizing construction sand from various water bodies, tackling the global impact of dredging on landform development. Additionally, 'Calcárea' at Mañaría quarry uncovers 115-million-year-old rock prior to extraction for construction in Bilbao. Her 'Buried House' installation at the Nasher Sculpture Center involves dismantling a Dallas home and interring its debris, reintroducing materials to geological contexts. Almarcegui has showcased her work at the Spanish Pavilion during the 55th Venice Biennale and has participated in numerous biennials across cities such as Rabat, Cuenca, Lyon, and São Paulo. Her solo exhibitions include Halted Quarry at GfZK Leipzig, Gravas y Arenas at Museo Patio Herreriano Valladolid (2024), and Deep Inside Out at Graphische Sammlung ETH Zurich.