La Habitación (2009) marks a pivotal moment in Manuel Calderón’s work, both for the precision of his drawing and the depth of his exploration of space and identity. Over several months, the artist inhabited his childhood bedroom, covering three of its walls with paper and using charcoal to depict his naked body, curled into a fetal position. The monumental scale and meticulous detail of the drawing immerse the viewer in an intimate, almost visceral experience of confinement and vulnerability.
This project not only represents the closing of a personal chapter but also initiates an inquiry into the act of inhabiting space. Through drawing, Calderón reflects on self-portraiture and architecture, questioning the physical, political, and emotional boundaries of space while laying the groundwork for his future work.
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