Through monumental paper sculptures inspired by mecha culture and Mexican folk traditions, Damián Ortega transforms cardboard into a powerful reflection on conflict, imagination and the human condition.

Nine dystopian paper creatures inhabit the open space of the exhibition, confronting visitors through their imposing scale and dynamic, almost animated poses. Their presence transforms the atmosphere of the museum into an imaginary battlefield, a universe created by Damián Ortega in Planets: Battle, Paper, his recently opened exhibition presented at the spaces of By Art Matters 天目里 in Hangzhou, China, and curated by Francesco Bonami.

The exhibition evokes the fantasy of a child’s dream enlarged to an epic dimension: visitors are invited to wander among these giant sculptures, each characterised by a distinct aesthetic language and personality. Constructed from humble, everyday materials such as cardboard, glue and polystyrene, Ortega’s works simultaneously evoke the spectacular world of mecha and Transformers while revealing a contrasting sense of fragility and vulnerability through their handmade nature.

In this article, we had the privilege of interviewing the artist Damián Ortega in a conversation that explores not only the origins of these colossal mecha-like artworks, but also their conception, development, and unique relationship with popular culture. Through his words, we uncover the deeper connections between these seemingly playful forms and our contemporary reality, shaped by conflict, crisis, and violence.

Exhibition View, Planets: Battle, Paper - Damián Ortega, Photo: Amedeo Martines

1. The exhibition is titled Planets: Battle, Paper. Yet upon entering the space, visitors are immediately struck by a sense of fantasy and amusement. What is the relationship between the title and this atmosphere that permeates the exhibition?

It's funny because I never planned it that way... I think it happened to me the same way it happens to any boy or girl who starts playing a game and suddenly finds themselves completely immersed in it, becoming part of that reality. In my case, there wasn't any outside perspective; I let myself be carried away completely by the universe I was creating.

I think it's been a very difficult time to understand and make sense of – the last few years in particular. The world became hostile in many ways, and somewhat cruel. I felt a lot of fear because of both personal and global circumstances, so my reaction was, like that of a kid trying to express his anger and fears, to draw powerful beasts.

Reflecting on this feeling of facing a reality that too often leaves us powerless and disoriented, Ortega reverses the very dynamics of play within the exhibition. Here, toys are transformed into giants: his sculptures tower over human figures, with visitors observing them from below and confronted by their overwhelming presence and smirk. In this sense, the viewer is invited to enter and navigate through this arena, also through the use of small vehicles, driving around these colossal creatures from the perspective of a smaller being. What initially appears as a playful environment gradually reveals a more complex reflection on vulnerability, imagination, and the search for ways to confront uncertainty.

Exhibition View, Planets: Battle, Paper - Damián Ortega, Photo: Amedeo Martines