Union Gallery
HIS MORTAL REMAINS…
April 1 – 28, 2025
Gallery Talk with Philip Cartelli April 8 @ 4:15pm
The Union Gallery at Wagner College is pleased to present the first solo U.S. exhibition of artist filmmaker Philip Cartelli. This exhibit features his ongoing research into the mysterious fate of the remains of former Soviet leader Leon Trotsky. In addition to this exhibit, Cartelli’s research so far has led to a lecture-performance (“Le fond du biscuit est rouge,” 2024) and a feature length film (The Second Death, in progress). 
Cartelli’s practice involves the spectator in his journey of discovery and creation. His more recent work focuses on political issues, questioning how truths are formed and maintained, and exploring the limits of creating the world we want to live in or identities we seek to incarnate. His experience in political organizations and his interest in the space between ideologies and the strategies or practices they inspire shape this perspective.
In “His mortal remains…,” Cartelli centers a rumor he initially doubted yet began to believe over time. In 2009, an anonymous manifesto claimed that a group of anarchists stole Trotsky’s remains from their resting place in Mexico City, baked them into cookies as an act of revenge, and distributed them to political groups and the media. However, none of these entities confirms receiving said cookies. Visiting the scene of the crime, Cartelli discovered an inconsistency: the Trotsky Museum in Mexico denies knowledge of the act or its aftermath but also no longer has the urn containing his remains and cannot explain where it is.
“His mortal remains…” invites viewers to reconsider this story through found and original materials (including repurposed online and physical publications, images and objects), reflecting on the supposed thieves’ intention to intervene in history, bringing new meaning to barely submerged narratives. During his research, Cartelli uncovered another story in rural Mexico: artist Diego Rivera’s involvement in discovering the supposed alleged remains of the last Aztec emperor, Cuauhtémoc. Though the remains’ authenticity is still debated by archeologists, they are widely accepted as genuine within the public imaginary. Inspired by Rivera’s role, Cartelli worked with Mexican artisan Antonio Silva to create a traditional ex-voto and collaborated with singer/composer Daniela Olmedo to adapt a 1940 corrido about Trotsky’s assassination to include the more recent events.
By assembling materials that resemble, but do not replace, evidence, “His mortal remains…” explores the perennial relevance of myths and how we assign meaning to the past. Whether a true story or an urban legend, the exhibit question how a narrative can be brought to life without concrete proof, providing insight into this uneasy essence of political belief.
Artistic Direction: Zachary B. Feldman
Spotlight Gallery
Hostile Terrain 94 Conversations
Opening: Monday, April 28th from 11:30-12:45
Come join Wagner Students of ILC7: The Body and Communities, and our Community Partners, Catholic Charities Community Services, Refugee Resettlement, La Colmena, and other community members, to celebrate the opening of the exhibit: Hostile Terrain 94 Conversations, on Monday, April 28th from 11:30-12:45. Students will speak about the class and their learning experiences in the Spotlight Gallery (Horrmann Library) from 11:30-12:15, and light refreshments will be served in Main Hall 7 from 12:15-12:45.
A central component of the exhibit is Hostile Terrain 94, a participatory activity created by the Undocumented Migration Project at UCLA, that memorializes lives lost crossing the US southern border. Our exhibit also includes film biographies and works of art co-created by local community members, and research and reflections created by Wagner students, which celebrate future hopes for all. Hostile Terrain 94 Conversations is supported by the Archaeological Society of Staten Island Endowment and Project Pericles.
More about the ILC and the installation project:
Storytelling and identity creation are aspects of our shared humanity. Using the tools of anthropology, art history and museum practice, in light of decolonization, artifact trafficking, the ethics of museum display, this class explores the dehumanization of cultures and peoples. We challenge students to ask what is displayed and whose stories are told in museums, and what messages an installation intends to communicate to visitors. The culminating class project is the year-long participatory exhibit, Hostile Terrain 94, which asks students and other participants to bear witness and engage with and tell the story of individuals who perished while attempting to cross the U.S. southern border.
Gallery Director: Jenny Toth
Email: jtoth@wagner.edu
Phone: (718)-420-4132 or (718)-390-3192
| Union Gallery Address: Union Hall (Main Floor), Wagner College One Campus Road Staten Island, NY 10301Gallery Hours: Monday-Sunday 7am -10:30pm |
Spotlight Gallery Address: Horrmann Library, Wagner College One Campus Road Staten Island, NY 10301Gallery Hours: Monday-Friday 9am -5pm |