contact: philippa@pilotopardo.com
Liquidity
Débora Delmar
Perce Jerrom
Opening: October 4th, 3–7 pm
Opening hours: Thursday & Friday, 3–7 pm and every day by appointment
‘Liquidity’ presents presents new works by artists and partners Débora Delmar (MX) and Perce Jerrom (UK). This is their first exhibition together and the first exhibition with the gallery. Prompted to dialogue with each other’s practice, for the show they explore liquids not only as a material, but also as a metaphorical membrane shaped by contemporary value systems. Fluidity appears in the shifting of variables; just as a storm drives a waterfall, market forces alter the perceived worth of structures and the elements they contain. A central concern running through the exhibition is water scarcity, referenced by both artists in different ways.
Jerrom’s ‘Go’ (2025), draws from the aesthetics of emergency survival kits, designed to be grabbed quickly in crisis. A key component of these kits is water; either bottled or in the form of purification tablets. Popularised by online prepping communities and conspiracy theorists, these bags have become increasingly relevant amid fears of societal collapse, climate disaster, and global conflict. Positioned near the gallery exit, Jerrom’s work subtly implies a readiness to flee. He invites reflection on how the value of objects shifts in survival contexts, and what is truly essential.
In ‘SPECULATOR’ (2025), Delmar turns to financial value, focusing on the fifty Mexican peso bill— currently equivalent to around £2. The note features the endangered Axolotl in its native lake, the site where Mexico City was founded and now a place of growing water scarcity. Some of these notes have risen far beyond their face value, depending on specific serial numbers. Their popularity has transformed them into collector’s items, with a measurable impact on the economy as many are held outside of circulation.
Delmar continues her exploration of shifting worth in ‘TRAVELLER’ (2018–2024), a collection of water bottles gathered during international travel. Sourced from airlines and airport shops, these everyday objects take on new meaning once removed from their original context. Branded and geographically marked, their value is altered through movement and display.
Jerrom’s ‘Prompt (I–IV)’ (2025), presents photographs of red wine glasses filled to the brim. While the imagery gestures toward luxury, it also raises questions about labour and automation. Until recently, AI image generators were unable to accurately depict a completely full wine glass, due to a lack of reference data. In response, Jerrom staged and hired a photographer to document the scenes, producing work that is both manual and traceable. Yet the process echoes the act of prompting AI, with slight variations among the images. These photos will be swapped out during the exhibition, reflecting the generative logic they reference. In creating what AI could not, Jerrom also contributes to future datasets, blurring the lines between human authorship and machine learning. Together, Delmar and Jerrom’s works reveal shared themes and material dialogues. Their practices intersect through personal experience and cultural background, drawing attention to the systems—economic, environmen- tal, and technological—that shape how we perceive and assign value.