Mario, 2024

Catherine Gran  

In Nécropole de Mario, Catherine Gran translates the logic of a video-game universe into an intricate industrial monument. Pipes, valves, and conduits—iconic elements of Mario's world—are reconfigured into a dense, almost architectural structure, where circulation replaces narrative and flow replaces action. The familiar becomes abstracted, as if the game had been reduced to its underlying system.

Gran's meticulous ink technique reinforces this transformation. Through precise cross-hatching and carefully modulated light, metal surfaces acquire weight, depth, and a sculptural presence. The mechanical network appears both functional and obsolete, suspended between engineering diagram and funerary relic.

The work reflects on the hidden infrastructure of play. Stripped of characters and movement, Mario's universe persists as a system of passages and connections. Gran suggests that behind the immediacy of entertainment lies a durable visual grammar—one that survives, even when the game itself falls silent.