Higher and Higher (20 Mattresses and a Pea) (2020) is inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s story, “The Princess and the Pea,” and uses the image of a bed to explore personal and social issues. In the story, a princess proves her nobility by showing extreme sensitivity—she cannot sleep because of a small pea under twenty mattresses. This sensitivity is often seen as a symbol of class consciousness or the idea that empathy is not exclusive to nobility. The story may also reflect Andersen’s feelings of resentment and aspiration toward those higher in the social hierarchy. Mercado’s work uses this idea to question why women must endure patriarchy to be recognized. It also reflects her own struggles with feelings of inadequacy, where, despite her efforts, she feels she must constantly prove herself.

Higher and Higher (20 Mattresses and a Pea) （2020）灵感来源于安徒生的童话《豌豆公主》，通过床的形象揭示个人与社会问题。故事中，公主因极度敏感而验证了她的高贵身份——她因一颗放在二十张床垫下的豌豆而辗转难眠。这种敏感既是阶级意识的象征，也意味着同理心并非贵族的专属特质。故事的背后，或许还隐含着安徒生对社会上层的复杂情感——既有怨愤，也有渴望。Mercado以此为基础，深刻质疑女性在父权社会中为何需要忍受种种挑战才能获得认可。同时，这件作品也反映了她的内心斗争——尽管付出大量努力，她依然感到自己必须一再证明自身的价值，仿佛总无法摆脱对自我不足的焦虑。