Lizi Sánchez : Constelaciones Carbónicas

Sánchez’s Constelaciónes Carbonicas also explore the concept of language – particularly in its relationship to archive and memory. The works feature a variety of written forms, from abstract lines to drawings, printed text and cursive handwriting. They also feature a mix of Spanish and English. This all serves to elaborate on Sánchez’s fascination with language and the capability of different languages to express different meanings. The content of the works is presented to us back-to-front, superimposed and is almost illegible; this forces the viewer to take a step back and to look beyond the specific details of the archival material.

With the inclusion of material from Sánchez’s own family, she expands the scope and scale of the project. Her grandmother’s notes or drawings are alongside her own, and those of her son. In this way she creates an intergenerational connection, conjoining and mixing family archives into one. This feels particularly poignant in a world in which personal archives have become so inseparable from technology. The work asks questions about the ephemerality, collapse and fragmentation of memories in the span of time.