0305 MMMMMMMMMM
Solo Exhibition
Mateo Prado
25.09.2025-26.10.2025
Eme
(noun)
f. Object, mechanism, or utensil that
performs the action of grinding,
crushing, or pounding, to start
digestion outside the body.
f. Structure composed of a base, a
body, and optionally, a pestle.
f. Everything is an “eme” as long as
it looks like an “eme,” works like an
“eme,” and is called “eme.”
MMMMMMMMMM is the outcome of a series of self-imposed limitations set by Mateo Prado, using process itself as a tool. All stem from the mortar- a tool shared across cultures for grinding, mixing, and transforming materials. From the Catalan amarixo to the Mexican molcajete, this familiar form varies in structure but unifies in purpose, inspiring a broader exploration of process, material, and form. Driven by obsession, experimentation, and variation, Prado develops objects he calls 'Emes' within a three-part structure: Surface (Superficie), Pestle (Maza), and Base (Base). Each ‘Eme’ embodies the same functional possibilities as a traditional mortar whilst exploring the interplay between functionality and abstraction, limitation and creativity. Similar to Martino Gamper’s 100 Chairs in 100 Days, the project unfolded through a consistent practice of daily experimentation and accumulation. After the objects were created, Prado devised a code- a system of nine 'norms', classifying each piece by material, form, and texture.
The code organises the work whilst allowing for the possibility of new variations and forms to be produced. The 'Emes' are at once objects, tools, and records of process: a material language that reveals an ongoing, open-ended exploration of form, function, and design.
-Anna Floto
You can find out more about Mateo Prado and his work here.