Message to Salinas

The work Message to Salinas was made during a recent residency/ workshop at SOMA in Mexico City during

the summer of 2010. Motivated by the constant questions regarding the visibility and presence of ex-president Carlos Salinas in the social and political life in Dublin, Byrne began researching what quickly emerged as a highly contentious issue in Mexico. Carlos Salinas de Gortari, elected under dubious circumstances, was

president of Mexico from 1988 to 1994.

His memory and the effects of his time as president are very much present to this day, indeed are etched into the collective consciousness of the Mexican people.

Salinas left the country, allegedly fearing he might be charged with the murder of his chosen successor, arriving in Ireland in the Spring of 1996. Salinas took up residence

in a small townhouse in Dublin 2.

Message to Salinas gives the people a voice, providing

them with the opportunity to send Salinas a personal message. The video work comprises of 34 individual messages of approx 2 minutes each. Significantly Byrne has not edited this work. These messages were made and

delivered in good faith, unmediated, retaining and preserving the charged and genuine expression, bewilderment, anger, admiration, regret, with which they were originally imbued.