You said you saw necks and they asked for protection, 2026

Cardboard, glass beads, acrylic spray painting, paraffin, iron and nylon wire, fiberglass, polyester resin
219 × 172 × 25.5 cm

This sculpture draws inspiration from celosías—metal window and door grilles common in Ecuador, Cuba, and across neighboring countries. These architectural elements, simultaneously ornamental and protective, are deeply embedded in the visual language of where the artist grew up.

In this series, the cardboard is cut, folded, and assembled to mimic the intricate geometry of ironwork, preserving the visual rhythm and ornamental density of traditional metal grilles while emphasizing fragility and impermanence, all encapsulated in wax.

The series, when assembled together in an exhibition, expands into a full architectural pathway, punctuated by additional sculptural elements dispersed throughout the space, which visitors are invited to navigate. Previous presentations include: Kunsthaus Baselland (2026); C3A, Cordoba (2026); Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen (2025); and De Ateliers, Amsterdam (2025).

In this particular work, Salazar Rosales also places beaded braids that allude to the protective talismans found in Yoruba cultural traditions around the central beams of the sculpture, like a necklace.

Photos by Marjorie Brunet Plaza