Memorial for Lesvy and Victims of Femicide 2019
A LIVING MEMORIAL: RESISTING OBLIVION, DEMANDING JUSTICE
The Memorial stands as a powerful testament to civic triumph in the pursuit of truth and justice, defying the human rights violations committed by authorities in the femicide case of Lesvy Berlín Rivera Osorio.
The Memorial was unveiled on November 25, 2019, conceiving it as both a physical space and a digital platform to amplify the voices of femicide victims' families and survivors of gender-based violence. Its presence within the Attorney General’s Office of Mexico City (FGJCDMX) is a bold reclamation of institutional space, while its virtual counterpart extends its reach, allowing people to contribute and access testimonies. Shaped by collective participation, this evolving project belongs to the people.
By occupying a place within the FGJCDMX, the Memorial stands as a symbol of civil resistance, exposing the systemic failures of the judicial process. It offers solace and strength through personal testimonies while providing crucial legal information to victims and their families. More than a commemorative installation, it dignifies the memory of murdered women, transforming a bureaucratic institution into a living monument of remembrance, reflection, and activism. Above all, it asserts the fundamental right of women to live free from violence.
Permanent intervention at the Attorney General's Office of Mexico City, Mexico
Website and online participation process
Video about the Memorial
Inauguration - Attorney General's Office of Mexico City,
November 25, 2019. Video courtesy of Notimex
The Case of Lesvy Berlín Rivera Osorio
Lesvy was a vibrant, intelligent, and multilingual young woman. At 22, she dreamed of studying French languages and traveling the world. On May 3, 2017, she was murdered on the campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Authorities failed to act with due diligence, violating numerous human rights throughout the investigation. Yet, through relentless struggle, her family secured 18 recommendations from the Human Rights Commission of Mexico City, including the creation of a cultural initiative to honor her memory and advocate for women's right to live without violence. This Memorial was born from that recommendation, and my proposal was selected through an open call for female artists.
Memorial Interface
Designed as an interactive and ever-expanding space, the Memorial hosts ongoing public denunciations of institutional negligence. Its physical installation includes a booth equipped with a projector, speakers, a microphone, a screen, and an internet-connected computer. Contributions are continuously archived and made publicly accessible on the project’s website.
From outside the booth, passersby can read projected texts exposing judicial failures and abuses. Inside, supportive testimonies play through speakers, and visitors can record their own messages, adding their voices to the growing archive. Remote participation is also encouraged—people can submit writings via the website, which are later projected at the physical installation within the FGJCDMX.
All collected contributions can be viewed at: www.memorialfeminicidio.org.
Production and assembly
Creation Process
The Memorial took shape through workshops with Lesvy's family, relatives of other femicide victims, lawyers, activists, and support organizations. These conversations were deeply emotional, and Sorece A.C., a feminist organization of psychologists, provided psychological support to participants. My assistant and I also received care to ensure our well-being throughout the process.
Workshop with relatives of victims of femicide
Challenges and Institutional Negligence
Despite its significance, the Memorial has faced ongoing obstacles. The FGJCDMX, responsible for implementing recommendation 01/2018 issued by the Human Rights Commission of Mexico City, has consistently failed to provide the necessary technical support.
Initially, the Memorial was installed with a dedicated computer, a router with an independent internet connection, and a no-break device to prevent power outages. However, under the pretext of technical failures, the installation is not always kept operational. The Attorney General's Office has neglected its maintenance, and during multiple visits, my instructions have been ignored, and no commitment has been made to fund essential repairs.
Despite these setbacks, I remain committed to ensuring that the Memorial remains active, accessible, and in optimal condition. This project is more than an installation—it is an act of resistance, a demand for justice, and a space where voices silenced by violence continue to be heard.
Presentation(s)
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Fiscalía General de Justicia de la Ciudad de México (General Attorney´s Office), Mexico City, Mexico.
Year
2019
Colaborators
Memorial organizing team
Jury: Araceli Osorio Martínez, Lesvy Rivera, Lorena Wolffer, Mónica Mayer, Sergio Beltrán García, Lucía Núñez y María de la Luz Estrada
Lawyers: Sayuri Herrera y Ana Yeli Pérez Garrido
Member of the National Citizen Observatory on Femicide (OCNF): Atzíri Ávila
Support: Jorge Luis Aguilar Pantoja y Erika Lozano
Psychological counseling: Sorece A.C.
Allies
Centro de Cultura Digital, Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos de la Ciudad de México
Credits
Assistant
Manli Luz
Programming and development (digital interaction and website)
Fragments and Forms
Video
Cerrucha, Lupe Olaya, Agencia Notimex
Video editing
Pablo León, Agencia Notimex
Acknowledgements
Thank you to Lesvy Berlín Rivera Osorio, Araceli Osorio and Lesvy Rivera for their insurmountable struggle, to Las Siemprevivas for their collective support and everybody who set their heart and care into this project.