Though Dead, I Am Still Paper (Mariana Castillo Deball)

History is made up of layers of earth, flesh, walls and wounds that trace the victories and destinies of a community. However, it is interesting to see what remains covered and what is excavated. 

In Summer 2024, the Mexican artist Mariana Castillo Deball will develop an artistic project for the Domplatz at the heart of St. Pölten. This area holds historical significance as in 2010, approximately 22,000 human remains from the former town cemetery (mid-11th century – 1779) were excavated along with medieval and Roman vestiges of the municipality of Aelium Cetium. Drawing inspiration from these archaeological findings and their juxtaposed stories, Castillo Deball will explore the complexities of human history and memory. To sound these out, Castillo Deball researches in libraries and archives, consults scientific expertise; she brings the complex history of the objects to light and, in a sense, continues to write them in artistic form. 

Marianna Castillo Deball’s artistic project on St. Pölten’s Domplatz will deepen the connection to the exhumed remains and encourage reflection on what they reveal about collective identity and the narratives that shape our understanding of history. It is an invitation to reflect on the fragile balance between preservation and eradication. 

Born in Mexico City in 1975, Mariana Castillo Deball lives and works in Berlin. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at MoMA in New York, Documenta 13 in Kassel, the Venice Biennale, Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, London’s Institute of Contemporary Art and MACBA in Barcelona.