Louis Shepherd, an artist from Alicante, joins this year at ARTBO 2022, the Bogota International Contemporary Art Fair. The event brings together more than 300 creators and fifty galleries, with a schedule running through October 30. Shepherd participates in the main segment, represented by a Galician gallery that has long collaborated with him and is among the three Spanish invitees. The Nordic partner with whom he has worked for years also features in the fair. The artist expresses his enthusiasm for presenting new work here, detailing a fresh collection crafted from 24 carat gold and 23 ¾ karat gold. The works explore the economic concept of surplus value through an art-focused lens, blending economic theory with visual practice.
Two significant pieces are included in the Plus value project: Tripartite a adoration, which gained support from the Alicante Department of Culture through a 2022 cultural subsidies program awarding 7,449 euros. The grant underscores the collaboration between the artist and regional cultural institutions as part of the fair’s broader dialogue on value, labor, and materiality.
Remove the notebooks
The artist from Alicante makes old accounting books the central material of the work, turning falling leaves into a form of jewelry. Gold leaf adds a luminous layer to boxes made of paper, with each piece comprising 3,500 such boxes. Beyond the visible elements like windows, paper, boxes, and oak, the artist notes that the cost of gold is not the most expensive part of production. This material approach echoes his previous exhibition at the Gil-Albert Institute, which he also curated, illustrating a sustained exploration of value and material transformation. Pilar Tebar contributes to the discourse through curatorial and critical perspectives during the show.
The Alicante-based artist is deeply invested in economic theory and its real-world implications. The work invites reflection on the role of capital in a globalized landscape, using gold as a symbol around which market dynamics revolve. The piece encourages viewers to consider how wealth and value are constructed in contemporary economies and how material choices shape perception and exchange.
The artist’s interest lies in examining how the General Accounting Plan shapes entrepreneurial practice. By treating accounting books as mutable, plastic objects rather than mere records, the work challenges conventional economic logic and invites a poetic rethinking of what is considered unassailable or fixed in financial systems.
Anthony Manresa, head of the Culture Department, highlights that Pastor’s project embodies a broader commitment to promoting Alicante’s artistic production on international stages. The work will travel through global circuits and be exhibited in Alicante city spaces after the international fair run, reinforcing the city’s role as a hub of contemporary creation and cultural exchange. This initiative reflects a sustained program to nurture local artists and showcase their projects beyond regional boundaries, aligning with public cultural policy and artistic advocacy across the region.