Claudia Pagès Rabal's 'Paper Tears' at the Catalan Pavilion in Venice
At the 61st Venice Biennale, the Catalan Pavilion showcases 'Paper Tears', an installation crafted by Claudia Pagès Rabal, with curation by Elise Lammer and organization by the Institut Ramon Llull. This exhibition, which runs until November 22, 2026, at Docks Cantieri Cucchini, reinterprets 15th-century paper watermarks from the Museu Molí Paperer de Capellades as an artistic medium. It features laser projections, a sculptural LED screen, and immersive soundscapes, delving into historical power dynamics. The work unfolds in three segments: linking watermarks to history, delivering urgent monologues, and examining the body. The sound design by nara is neus enriches the presentation, while the video highlights Catalan water sources, contemplating historical and contemporary geopolitical issues and migration challenges.
Key facts
- Claudia Pagès Rabal presents 'Paper Tears' at the Catalan Pavilion of the 61st Venice Biennale.
- The installation runs until November 22, 2026 at Docks Cantieri Cucchini, San Pietro di Castello.
- Curated by Elise Lammer and organized by the Institut Ramon Llull.
- Features laser projections, a sculptural LED screen, and a soundscape by nara is neus.
- Explores 15th-century watermarks from the Museu Molí Paperer de Capellades.
- Structured as a three-act waltz addressing historical violence, politics, and the body.
- The LED screen is approximately 10,000 mm long and shaped like a canal.
- The video maps Catalan territory using drones and zenithal perspectives.
- Watermarks date from a period of ethnic purgation and expulsion of Muslim communities in Iberia.
- Protests during the Biennale's pre-opening days highlighted ongoing geopolitical conflicts.
Entities
Artists
- Claudia Pagès Rabal
- Elise Lammer
- nara is neus
- Flavio Coddou
Institutions
- Catalan Pavilion
- 61st Venice Biennale
- Institut Ramon Llull
- Docks Cantieri Cucchini
- Museu Molí Paperer de Capellades
- La Biennale di Venezia
- exibart.es
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- San Pietro di Castello
- Catalonia
- Spain
- Barcelona
- Capellades
- Iberian Peninsula
- Mediterranean