Carne quemada (Burnt Flesh)
New York, USA.
I remain pinned to the ground by an installation of iron and concrete, designed from the national flag of Israel. The structure restricts the movements of my body and diminishes my breathing and the flow of oxygen to my brain. At intervals, a person lifts the chains that obstruct my breathing, preventing me from losing consciousness due to lack of oxygen.
Burnt Flesh denounces the genocide taking place in Gaza since October 2023, perpetrated by the State of Israel with the support of the United States. It also highlights the confinement of the population, which has been under siege since 2007. The work further denounces the mass destruction, bombings of the civilian population —including the killing of over 21,300 children—, forced displacement, and the blockade of humanitarian aid and food, which uses starvation as a method of warfare.
The State of Israel is responsible for these actions, as well as for the systematic destruction of schools, hospitals, and medical facilities in Gaza.
Finally, Burnt Flesh confronts exclusionary nationalism and the colonization of Palestine, transforming these political violences into a bodily experience that allows the viewer to reflect on oppression, the need for compassion, and the vulnerability of the body.
In 2025, I submitted this work to five artistic institutions; none produced it. This led me to realize it in my studio, with the hope that one day it may be presented to an audience.
Special thanks to Kevin Bonilla.