Mar Hernández (b. 1984, Madrid) is an artist whose work centers on abandoned and transitional spaces, offering a nuanced exploration of memory and transformation. Based in Madrid, she navigates environments on the verge of disappearance, reinvention, or restoration, such as vacant lots, obsolete factories, and ephemeral architectures. Her practice intertwines drawing and photography, with digital reproduction serving both as research and as a foundational element for reconstructing these spaces. By layering drawings over photographs, Hernández creates multidimensional works that challenge linear conceptions of time and evoke spaces where historical and chronological narratives dissolve.
Mar Hernández’s exhibitions reflect her deep engagement with these themes. Recent solo presentations, including “Universale” (2023) and “Homelike” (2022) at Suburbia Contemporary in Barcelona, have highlighted her ability to transform the essence of architectural and domestic spaces into profound reflections on temporality and memory. Her works have also been featured in key exhibitions such as “Anacronias” at CEART, Centro de Arte Tomás y Valiente in Fuenlabrada, and “Estratos: Arqueología del Tiempo” at the Museo Regional de Arte Moderno (MURAM) in Cartagena. These shows have placed her at the forefront of contemporary dialogues surrounding the reinterpretation of forgotten spaces.
Residencies have been instrumental in shaping her artistic journey. Notable programs include Casa Velázquez – Académie de France à Madrid, the Real Academia de España en Roma, and the Fundación Pilar i Joan Miró in Mallorca. During these residencies, Hernández has developed site-specific projects and deepened her investigation into the intersections of space, memory, and artistic reconstruction. Her participation in the Xu Yuan International Artist-in-Residence Program in Beijing further broadened her perspective, culminating in exhibitions at the Instituto Cervantes and the Xuyuan Center.
Her artistic contributions have been widely recognized with numerous awards, including the Premio Certamen de Arte Gráfico Jóvenes Creadores and Honorable Mentions at the Premio Internacional de Grabado Carmen Arozena and the Certamen de Grabado José Caballero. These accolades underscore the technical precision and conceptual depth of her work. Additionally, her collaborations with institutions such as the Calcografía Nacional and the Spanish Embassy in Rome have amplified her exploration of graphic arts and spatial transformation.
Mar Hernández’s practice invites viewers to engage with spaces that exist in a state of suspension, where objects and environments are imbued with infinite layers of existence and meaning. Through her evocative works, she reshapes our understanding of temporality, creating connections between the tangible and the intangible, the past and the present.
