FRANCISCO DELGADO
Written Wor(l)ds
This installation translates Émile Zola’s Nana from text
into a three-dimensional visual form. The goal was to closely interpret the novel’s descriptions, atmosphere, and themes while exploring how narrative, time, and character development could be represented spatially.
The installation takes the form of a dress silhouette constructed from pages of the novel. Collaged imagery highlights key moments from Nana’s life, with the upper portion representing her rise, beauty, and influence, and the lower portion illustrating her decline and eventual downfall.
Inspired by Zola’s depiction of Nana as a plague, paper flies were incorporated to symbolize the men drawn to her, as well as the idea of decay. Together, these elements visualize the duality of Nana’s power and self-destruction.
