WALDEN presents Doble Recidencia, by Juan Carlos Romero

Bueno Aires. By masking himself in this photo-performance, Romero invites us to immerge ourselves in a time and place that knows no frontiers, and that drives us to internalize ourselves while pairing us with the unknown. Once again, he testifies that what we see looks at us.

This photographic series opens and closes with a portrait in which Romero does not hide his face. His usual gentle and stern gesture, his very white hair and austere look bring to mind the long history of the artist-activist, printmaker, visual poet, performer, teacher, editor, or curator.  The masks dominate the beginning and end of the routine, they are ancient and contemporary, some luxurious, and others very simple. When covering his face they all astonish. They all produce estrangement, and some even cause trembles.

“Will I have time to make myself a mask when the shadow emerges?” Back in 2000, Juan Carlos Romero asked himself this while he inscribed an Alejandra Pizarnik verse on his bare chest, and wore a strange mask that covered his entire face. This time, he dismisses the text and draws on his own mask collection. Thus, situated before a neutral background and wearing the same dark shirt, he puts these masks on one by one.

Juan Carlos Romero /// Doble Residencia

Curatorial text: Florencia Battiti

WALDEN  Gallery          

Av. Almirante Brown 808. CABA

June 11 – July 30, 2016