The Past Is Always Present explores the idea that the present is inseparable from cultural memory. Composed of multiple wood panels, the work brings fragments of old Arabic poetry into the contemporary moment through calligraphy and gilded surfaces. Open window-like forms allow glimpses of what lies beneath, suggesting that history is not hidden or sealed off, but continuously visible and active. The layered composition invites reflection on continuity, where heritage informs the present and gives it meaning. Pilar Climent was born in Mexico City. She studied design for several years before continuing her artistic development in a largely self-taught manner. She worked with the Bank of Mexico on the redesign and furnishing of institutional buildings and developed a museum scenario for the Fonart Craft Museum. In 1987, she traveled to Moscow, where she studied painting at the Surikov Art School. Her practice often explores cultural memory and the relationship between tradition and contemporary expression.