Video Ergo Sum

Lázaro Martínez Durán's exhibition "Video Ergo Sum" at Christian Berst, Paris, focuses on his practice of creating art from media images. Durán cuts and assembles these images to construct his own "imaginary television channel." His work engages with a media flow encompassing political propaganda, sports events, and advertisements, capturing fleeting moments to present a unique perspective on Cuba.

The artist's process involves observing the world and fixing it through his "televisions." Narrative energy is evident in his depictions of crowds, cities, and public figures, forming a kaleidoscope where the collective dominates. Durán filters and recomposes images, blending drawings with press fragments to create an unstable newsreel that merges international history with everyday life. His approach, reminiscent of Pop Art in its use of icons and collage, differs in its direct appropriation of images, which are underscored by his drawings for absorption rather than commentary. The use of found objects, like televisions constructed from cardboard, further emphasizes this media object's reconstruction within a fragile, domestic economy.