I came across this artist through the In Between Time festival of live art. Margolles’ work, 37 Cuerpos was exhibited at the Arnolfini in Bristol as part of the festival. Margolles, formally a forensic technician in Mexico City, concentrates in both 37 Cuerpos and Aire on the condition of death and the ways in which we react to death.

Below are images of the installations and short programme notes from the In Between Time website:

“In 37 Cuerpos, threads are strung across the gallery space. Each thread has been used after autopsy to sew up the bodies of anonymous people who have suffered a violent death.” (www.inbetweentime.co.uk)

37 Cuerpos by Teresa Margolles

“In Aire, the viewer moves through an apparently empty room, feeling moist air on their skin as the space is humidified with disinfected water collected from the washing of bodies before autopsy.” (www.inbetweentime.co.uk)

Aire by Teresa Margolles

There is little doubt that both works are intended to evoke a reaction from the visitor and it is the subjective reaction of the visitor through their interaction with the installations that is the focal point of the art.

Although these works are not to everyone’s taste they do address the uncomfortable relationship that we often have with mortality and in a very interactive way.

For further information about Teresa Margolles on this site, please visit Margolles, Teresa – Info

To see more of Margolles’ work, please visit www.re-title.com/artists/Teresa-Margolles.asp

For more information about the In Between Time festival, please visit www.inbetweentime.co.uk