Andrew Birk is a gringo. I don’t mention this as an insult—I’m one too, after all—but to give some context to his work. The Portland, Oregon, native has lived in Mexico City since 2011 and has a clear affinity for the cacophony and vibrancy of this dense, sprawling metropolis. It is with the fresh eyes of an outsider that Birk is able to translate the[…..]

The two-year residency program of Estudio 71, organized by the artist Berta Kolteniuk in collaboration with Sinagoga Histórica, culminates in the exhibition The End. A show like this one, based on the work resulting from several artist residencies, runs the risk of lacking curatorial direction, and indeed the work on display does not immediately convey any aesthetic or conceptual unity. It includes everything from representational[…..]

Si Tiene Dudas… Pregunte [When in Doubt… Ask] at the Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporáneo (MUAC) is a retrocollective of works by feminist art pioneer Mónica Mayer (b. Mexico City, 1954). “Retrocollective” isn’t a very well-known term[1] and certainly not one that many artists would choose to designate their career retrospective, but Mónica Mayer isn’t like other artists. Since the late ’70s, Mayer has been[…..]

Sheltered by darkness, a mysterious octopus-like artifact lies in the nave of the Laboratorio Arte Alameda, a contemporary art museum housed in what was once an ancient convent. Capable of creating light and life by itself, the machine artifact operates by complex mechanisms. Twelve cylinders containing microbial fuel cells are connected to a main Plexiglas tank that houses plants in its interior. Every cylinder carries wastewater from various[…..]

Even if viewers know a little about the cultural and culinary history of Mexico, Gloria Carrasco’s exhibition at the Museo de Arte Popular in Mexico City might appear to be a show dedicated to the phallus. The gallery is filled with dozens of variations on the same object—a long, tapered shape made in a multitude of materials from textiles to ceramics and colors from earthy[…..]

In her solo show at MARSO, Empujo Puertas que Debería Jalar, Jalo Puertas que Debería Empujar [I Push Doors I Should Pull, I Pull Doors I Should Push], Mexican artist Daniela Libertad presents her latest works of sculptures, drawings, videos, objects, and photography. Libertad’s practice has been characterized by her explorations of space and material through relations, rituals, and repetitions. In her exhibition, every piece[…..]

Like with mazes and haunted houses, there’s a magnetic appeal in unraveling the mysteries that fictitious places offer. We enjoy undefined atmospheres where a strange comfort assures the encounter with the unknown and is met with the thrill of discovery. Because our sense of control struggles with the powerful forces of uncertainty, we are challenged by our own idea of self-representation, despite being aware that[…..]