Nomen Nesciis (2010)
The Latin term Nomen nescio, meaning “no name,” is used legally to conceal a person’s actual name or in cases when his or her true identity is unknown. In this work, it alludes to the pseudonyms used by different governments, particularly the United States. John Doe or Jane Doe are, for instance, the names used by the US administration. Avelino Sala uses these names as if they were the credits of a film, alongside those used by other international governments. The number of individuals affected by migration worldwide is staggering and, in the particular case of Spain, we have become familiar with pateras, those fragile boats arriving on our beaches carrying people travelling from Africa and Asia wishing to enter Europe illegally.
