Artwork Information

The work of Juan Fernando Herrán varies between the activation of found objects – as if he were some kind of archaeologist – and photography or drawing. These images come from the series Escalas which is based on the artist’s experience of walking through the slums of Medellín, in Colombia’s mountainous Antioquia province, and questioning the processes of construction that define public spaces.

The photographs portray how the inhabitants of these areas have managed to claim sections of the terrain and create accesses to their homes, defying the geography of the area. On a second level, the work reflects how citizens contribute to the construction of public spaces as a result of the need they have for private space that may be adjusted to their personal requirements. Thus, as suggested by the artist, the idea of ‘public’ and ‘private’ implicate and depend on each other. Herrán’s photography makes obvious the way in which the practical, idiosyncratic and symbolic aspects of a population are manifested in the construction of the stairs. The artwork reflects how public spaces respond to individual and collective needs and, most importantly, may sometimes attempt to create a utopia of social inclusion and development.