An exhibition in response to COVID-19
Mariano Del Rosario
In his collage And the World Stood Still, Del Rosario again plays with the practice of making the invisible visible.
This time, through a portrait of a healthcare worker, he illuminates the central role played by underrecognized essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
And the World Stood Still (2020)
11" x 8.5"
mixed media on mylar
Mariano Del Rosario wants to seduce the viewer. This is precisely what happens when one steps into his studio at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where oversized, colorful pills litter the floor. The pile of capsules is reminiscent of a stash of candy.
But the piece, titled A Presence of Absence, contains a much darker meaning. Behind the colorful façade is a message about what ails our country, specifically the dirty workings of big pharmaceutical companies that dispense harmful drugs as if they are candy.
"I am inspired by everything I see in my surroundings.
When I walk down the street, I look down. I notice the junk, the stuff on the ground, the things that other people find ugly.
I find beauty in these ubiquitous materials.
The intention of my work is to transform."
A Presence of Absence (2020
Dimensions vary; capsules are 3.5" x 9"
plastic, found materials, chair)