Image: Mattress Factory, Pittsburgh
Claudia Martínez Garay and Arturo Kameya’s installation ‘La ceniza ya no recuerda qué causó el incendio. / The ash no longer remembers what caused the fire.’ is on view at the Mattress Factory’s 516 Sampsonia galleries in Pittsburgh through May 2, 2027. Developed in partnership with the Carnegie Museum of Art, the exhibition forms part of the 59th Carnegie International.
The work extends through all nine rooms of an old, renovated rowhouse, using the building’s domestic scale as the setting for an immersive installation. Rather than presenting a single contained gallery display, the project unfolds across the entire structure, requiring visitors to move from room to room and attend to details distributed throughout the space.
According to the Mattress Factory, the installation relies on small details to add texture to the work. These elements are described as being hidden in plain view, encouraging visitors to look closely as they navigate the rooms. The museum’s presentation emphasizes the time required to take in the installation and the discoveries that emerge through sustained observation.
The Pittsburgh presentation reflects the Mattress Factory’s focus on site-based installation art. The institution describes itself as an artist-centered museum and international residency program, as well as a producer and presenter of installation art. Its campus includes multiple buildings in the city’s North Side, where exhibitions are presented in spaces that include renovated domestic and industrial structures.
The exhibition is one of the projects connected to the 59th Carnegie International, whose partnership with the Mattress Factory brings the installation to the Sampsonia galleries. The available exhibition information does not provide additional details about the artists’ materials, production process or the specific themes addressed in the work, so the presentation is defined here by its spatial arrangement and close attention to concealed details.
Mattress Factory also offers 90-minute Guided Visits by appointment on Mondays at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. These visits include selected exhibitions across the museum’s campus and are capped at 15 attendees. The museum says that guides provide information about the artists and their processes while encouraging discussion and focused observation; the program includes both short- and long-term installations on view.
‘La ceniza ya no recuerda qué causó el incendio. / The ash no longer remembers what caused the fire.’ remains on view at Mattress Factory’s 516 Sampsonia galleries in Pittsburgh until May 2, 2027.
