Cartographies of Memory | MIA1| Original 36x36 in (91.44x91.44 cm) CP-A103

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Part of the Urban Palimpsests series | Urban 1, explores the city as an accumulation of traces—architectural fragments, forgotten pathways, and layered histories embedded within the urban fabric. Inspired by the dense complexity of a Nolli plan, the composition reveals a delicate network of streets, blocks, and spatial memories that emerge and recede beneath translucent veils of color.

The painting glows with a soft golden shimmer, evoking the sensation of uncovering buried relics and architectural artifacts hidden beneath the passage of time. Warm blushes, dusty rose tones, and subtle metallic reflections dissolve the rigidity of the city grid, transforming cartography into atmosphere. The surface feels less like a map and more like a memory—one that has been revisited, rewritten, and softened through years of recollection.

Built through layers of collage, paint, sanding, and excavation, the work reflects the artist’s ongoing process of revealing what lies beneath. Marks are partially erased, edges dissolve, and geometric forms drift in and out of focus, suggesting the way cities—and memories—continuously evolve while retaining echoes of their former selves.

Like the final glow of a sunset settling over stone and concrete, Urban Palimpsests | Urban 1 invites the viewer into a quiet archaeology of place. It is a meditation on impermanence, discovery, and the shimmering persistence of memory within the built environment.

 To preserve the integrity of this mixed media canvas, display it in a dry, temperature-stable environment away from direct sunlight, humidity, and extreme heat. Avoid touching the surface directly, as the layered textures and delicate materials—such as paper fragments and metallics—can be sensitive to oils and abrasion. Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth or a clean, natural-bristle brush. Do not use water, cleaning products, or compressed air. If long-term preservation is a concern, consider professional framing or consultation with a fine art conservator. 

 Crismary Pascarella’s technique blends architectural thinking with intuitive mark-making, using layered paper fragments, collage, pigment, and text to create spatial compositions. She builds and erodes surfaces through sanding and layering, echoing the processes of memory and urban decay—transforming material into emotional geography.