288-IV/PL
2015
144 used plastic shoe soles on wood
35 1/2 x 47 1/4 x 1 1/2"

Gabriel de la Mora (b. 1968) was born in Mexico City, and believes the artwork already exists before the artist, and therefore, it is not his role to either create or destroy, but merely to transform. By repurposing debris salvaged from flea markets and antique shops, de la Mora creates alchemical works that both reference the original object and are something altogether new.

Worn soles of shoes, damaged photographs, matchboxes and found paintings are passed through a process of pentimento—of reworking, erasing and altering—to convey the passage of time and the effects of use and natural elements. With a working methodology that is as mystical as it is disciplined, de la Mora’s use of repetition connects with notions of Zen philosophy, whereby recurrent actions lead to a meditative practice. Gabriel de la Mora lives and works in Mexico City.