Doris Salcedo's Emotionally Charged Retrospective at Fondation Beyeler

The Fondation Beyeler in Riehen, Switzerland, presents a major exhibition of Colombian artist Doris Salcedo, running from June to October 2023. Curated by the museum's team, the show spans Salcedo's career from the 1990s to the present, featuring iconic works such as 'Atrabiliarios' (1992–2004), 'Shibboleth' (2007), and 'Palimpsest' (2013–2017). The exhibition emphasizes the emotional and political dimensions of her practice, which addresses trauma, memory, and violence. Salcedo's sculptures and installations often incorporate everyday objects like furniture, clothing, and shoes, transformed to evoke absence and loss. The show includes a new site-specific piece created for the Beyeler's garden. The review by Melissa Serrato Ramirez in artpress highlights the unsettling yet poignant atmosphere of the exhibition, noting how Salcedo's work 'troubles' viewers while eliciting deep empathy. The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue with essays by scholars and curators.