It’s here, finally, the end of the world. It snuck up so quickly that I’d forgotten about it altogether. As the cycle of the Mayan calendar comes to an end, we prepare to say goodbye to the tumultuous 2012; to the latest tumultuous 52-year Mayan century cycle, and it can’t come a moment too soon. [...]
I know it’s not Texas, and it’s certainly not Miami, but there are some projects that are so well thought out, so surprising and so poetic that they should be shared outside the context they are in. A few days ago I had the pleasure of seeing a project that is just that: thoughtful, surprising [...]
As another exploration of the catalysts that drive human behavior, Jill Magid has continued her investigation of gun violence in Texas with the exhibition titled Faust 24 at Galería Labor in Mexico City. Recently, the issues of context and translation have been on my mind more and more since I’m crossing a border and working [...]
It’s a common complaint that the major art centers and cities in Texas are simply not connected with each other, have little dialog, and generally just don’t share the same audiences. While the aforementioned is true, and legitimate, things are starting to get a little more connected, and now there’s really little excuse to [...]
Recently I had the pleasure of traveling to Houston for the second annual Texas Contemporary Art Fair. I was impressed, and the fair deserves a pat on the back. Considering this fall is only in its second year, the caliber of work was impressive (albeit still mostly local galleries from Texas), the artist projects were [...]
I recently had the pleasure of curating a video show at Tiny Park Gallery in Austin, Texas titled the Time and Space of Calixto Ramirez. The exhibition was a show of video work produced by ar Calixto Ramirez, an artist I met in Mexico City who has been living and working there for the better part of [...]
As I prepared for the Texas Contemporary Art Fair I was reminded of a long conversation I had with artist Emilio Rangel. I was sitting in his studio when he asked, “can you imagine what the world would be like if the concept and idea of art was non existent?” I was stumped. I think [...]
Take a moment to chuckle. You’re welcome. Issa Benítez Dueñas Art Sickness Bag, 2005 Printed paper bag Collection of Proyecto Changarrito
I was falling asleep slowly around 1:30 am when I heard the chime of a Facebook chat message. I debated about just ignoring it, but my Facebook obsession kicked in and I decided to jump up and see who could possibly be messaging me so late. It was Anjali Gupta writing to inform me [...]
Part II of my fantastic chat with artist Christina Sukhgian Houle who is in Mexico City for six weeks as part of the SOMA summer artist in residency project. We chat about the residency, culture shocks, noise and transition, sepia tones and cantinas… LMC: So talk to me a little bit more about SOMA. [...]
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of sitting with artist Christina Sukhgian Houle who is in Mexico City for six weeks as part of the SOMA summer artist in residency project. Christina recently graduated from Texas State University in San Marcos and is preparing for her move it New York City to begin [...]
First, because of a three day texting exchange with Ben Aqua. These reminded me of… …this: Then I received an email from Armando Miguélez of his latest series which reminded me… …of this: Then while wandering through the numerous stands at the art fair FeMACO I stumbled upon this… …which reminded [...]
I always find it curious when art institutions decide to go into ambitious building programs. Typically the reasoning is the same: to offer a space in which the public is invited to enjoy the works of art in the collection, or the exhibitions produced specifically for the space. Either way, it always seems as though [...]
It’s really difficult to talk about foreignness. I really discovered this in 2006 when I returned to live in Austin after living in Mexico City preceded by a research stint in El Salvador. I was in my home country, in my home-town, and speaking my native language, but I had really never felt so [...]
I talk about Mexic-Arte Museum a lot and I always have. I have a long history with the institution, and I will say again that I want them to succeed and always have, and this is part of the reason I have been so vocal about their decisions. I will also say that nothing I [...]
Typically it’s fun to sit back and watch as the art world in Austin continues to grow, gain strength, respect, and generally produce quality art and artists despite its topsy-turvy art organizations that are relatively disconnected from the community. Recently, however, I’ve been alarmed and somewhat embarrassed by what I feel are incredibly unfortunate missteps [...]
The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind in Mexico City. The annual art fair, in its eighth year, Zona MACO took place last week and sent the art world into a tizzy of openings, events, dinners, 1pm brunches, and cocktail hours that left us all reeling. In all the art fairs that I [...]
I had the incredible pleasure of visiting the studio of artist Pablo Vargas-Lugo a little more than one week ago. Pablo’s studio is temporarily nestled in a corner of the Museo El Eco, in the San Rafael neighborhood of Mexico City, just south of the downtown historic district. The Museum El Eco is also the [...]
Throughout a weekend of constant seismic activity and back-to-back aftershocks I braved the constantly trembling ground on Friday and made the short trek further into the San Rafael neighborhood to visit the Yautepec Gallery for the first time. The gallery itself is a self-proclaimed “experimental space with an appetite for risk.” Yautepec is certainly off [...]
It’s not uncommon to walk the streets and stumble upon a vendor selling their wares laid out on top of a blanket directly on the street in Mexico City. This blanket, however, is not just for aesthetic purposes, or to keep the merchandise clean, it offers the vendor a quick and easy escape if a [...]
