Doris Salcedo retrospective at Fondation Beyeler explores political violence and memory

A retrospective of Doris Salcedo's work at Fondation Beyeler in Basel runs through 17 September, featuring over a hundred pieces that address political violence and unacknowledged victims. The exhibition includes Palimpsest (2013–17), an installation of 66 stone slabs listing names of migrants who drowned in the Mediterranean and Atlantic over two decades, using a hydraulic system to make names appear and disappear ephemerally. Other works on view include Untitled (1989–2014) with plaster-frozen shirts, Untitled (1989–2016) featuring furniture fused with cement, Disremembered X (2020–21) with silk blouses pierced by needles, and A Flor de Piel II (2013–14) made of stitched rose petals. Salcedo's art, such as her 2007 Shibboleth installation at Tate Modern, focuses on making victims visible and restoring dignity through silent lamentation and cancellation themes. The retrospective highlights her research into recording previously unrecorded names, engaging with victims' relatives to create presence in void spaces.