Catalonia in Venice: Claudia Pagès Rabal — Paper Tears (Biennale 2026)

Catalonia in Venice: Claudia Pagès Rabal — Paper Tears

Collateral event of the 61st International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia. Paper Tears by Claudia Pagès Rabal is on view at Docks Cantieri Cucchini, San Pietro di Castello. Curated by Elise Lammer and presented by the Institut Ramon Llull, the project explores paper watermarks as symbolic and political devices linking past and present.

About the work

Paper Tears combines laser projections, a sculptural LED screen and an immersive soundtrack to reveal and interrogate watermarks — marks visible in transmitted light that historically attest to origin and authenticity. The watermarks are projected onto the gallery walls and animated by performative figures who comment in intuitive registers, transforming the marks into unstable, hybrid forms. The installation highlights continuities and tensions between historical power infrastructures and contemporary dynamics such as trade routes, migration and systems of authority.

Why visit

• It reframes an everyday material — paper — to expose political and historical dimensions.
• It blends visual installation, immersive sound and performance for a multisensory experience.
• It provides a cross-temporal perspective on networks of circulation for goods, ideas and power.

About the artist

Claudia Pagès Rabal is a Barcelona-based visual artist, performer and writer. Her practice includes video installations, works on paper and performative devices that intersect linguistics, psychoanalysis and decolonial studies. She has shown in international institutions and participated in events such as the Istanbul Biennial (2025) and Manifesta 15.

Practical information

• Dates: 9 May – 22 November 2026
• Venue: Docks Cantieri Cucchini, San Pietro di Castello 40A, 30122 Venice (VE)
• Presented by: Institut Ramon Llull
• Curator: Elise Lammer
• Opening hours:
  • 9 May – 27 September: 11:00 – 19:00
  • 29 September – 22 November: 10:00 – 18:00
• Closures: closed on Mondays (exceptions: 11 May, 1 June, 7 September and 16 November)

Visitor tips: Allow 45–60 minutes to experience the projections, soundtrack and performative elements. Check the organiser’s channels for guided tours or special openings before you go.