El desorden es temporal, 2026

"El desorden es temporal" translates to "the mess is temporary."

This painterly photographic work by Marcelo Mayen comes from I Live Alone, an ongoing series centered on the ordinary details of domestic life. Dishes left in the sink, a stack of chairs, the paws of a corgi disappearing beneath a bed. The things we encounter every day, and so easily stop seeing.

Through the series, Mayen treats these fleeting traces of daily life as subjects worthy of attention. I Live Alone is an invitation to slow down, notice what surrounds us, and recognize that even the most mundane parts of our lives can carry beauty, humor, and meaning.

For Mayen, El desorden es temporal grew from something more personal:

"I used to get stressed about the mess at home. Laundry. Dishes. Trash. Then I started telling myself, ‘The mess is temporary.’ Over time, it became more about being present. These little signs of everyday life won’t always be here. I wanted to appreciate them while they are."

Marcelo Mayen
El desorden es temporal (The Mess Is Temporary), 2026
Archival pigment print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag
30 × 40 in.
Edition of 5 + 2 AP