Q&A with Dulce Chacón - The Fragile Power of Drawing

We invite you to engage with the work of our resident artists by visiting The Fragile Power of Drawing - a virtual residency exhibition, presented as part of the 2020/21 Drawing Research Program.

Join Dulce as she shares her research from her studio in Mexico, while virtually transporting us to the Paris studio-museums through this Q&A series with curator Rahma Khazam. 

​What drew you particularly to Ossip Zadkine’s The Destroyed City (1953), as opposed to his other works?

Unveiling the Destroyed City (series), Dulce Chacon, 2021

When I was doing the research about Ossip Zadkine’s work I read about this monumental sculpture and all the story around his proposal to the city after the quick glimpse he had of Rotterdam when he was visiting a friend. I thought he had to be very moved by this traumatic event so he wanted to honor the city. That fact made a personal echo about the feeling of experimenting a destroyed city. Having experienced twice in my live two big earthquakes same day 32 years later one from the other in my home town that left on me a strong impression, it came to me the question: how do you honor a city that is alive without forgetting its past? As an artist, doing a monument is the best way we have to stop time and through our work put a light on those moments to remember them as part of our lives. I think Zadkine's monument is universal and honor every destroyed city that arise from its ashes.

​Your work frequently addresses memory and the reconstruction of events: how does this series fit within your work as a whole?

I do like to focus on reconstruction of events but particularly on those related to human challenges and tragic moments, because they fix the collective memory of a community. Remembering those kind of moments are important for our surviving and we learn from them. The unveiling of the monument was an important event for Rotterdam city because it generated a lot of questions from the people. This sculpture connected with the lived experience of each of their inhabitants and not just offering an aesthetic experience. That was the reason for all the expectation around it.

Personally, I consider important the connection with the audience as part of the work so what Zadkine did is for me an example of this connection that I pursue. I dare to think that the main work happened that day of the unveiling was the connection with the public, the sculpture is just an excuse.

What is special about drawing for you?

Drawing is the main arena in which fiction can be mixed with factual reality, opening the opportunity to the speculation. It is a language that allows me to learn, to understand life, to ask questions and communicate through it.

About Dulce Chacón

​Visit the exhibition online for more video and text conversations with the participating artists.