In 1996, I sold a painting to a collector. His mother attacked it with a broom and destroyed part of it. The painting reminded her of a concentration camp.

Years later, the collector and I had a disagreement. I don’t remember what it was about. He destroyed the painting by cutting it up with a knife and filmed himself doing it.

In 2026, he gave me the video as a gift.

 

 

Marcello Mercado
Untitled, 1996. Original dimensions 210 × 110 cm.
The painting after it was damaged with a broom by the collector’s mother.

 

Fragments of Untitled.
What remained after the collector cut up the painting with a knife.

 

Video
The Cutting of Untitled. Video, 16 seconds.
Recorded by the collector as he cut up the painting. He gave the video to the artist in 2026.