Vessel: Three Viewpoints from Contemporary Mexico

Curator / Moises Himmelfarb

Rene Almanza
Isauro Huizar
Alexis Mata (Ciler)

June 01 – 30, 2017
Reception / Thursday, June 01, 6–8pm

Vessel is a sample of Mexico’s diverse contemporary visual arts scene. Through the work of three artists, Vessel showcases three very unique worldviews. Ranging from technical excellence to conceptual complexity, the work of Isauro Huizar, Rene Almanza and Alexis Mata (Ciler) seems to scream and whisper at the same time.

Almanza’s 1001 drawings series is a never-ending project originally shown at Gerrish Fine Art in London, featuring 1001 ink drawings. His nervous and expressive pen is reminiscent of Egon Schiele or an early Lucian Freud. The multiplicity of pieces displayed in the gallery is an open invitation to loosing oneself in his virtuosity, the complexty of his characters and the simplicity of his line.

Huizar has the ability to smuggle very powerful messages through subtle, soft colors. His work ranges from objet trouvé to intervention in public spaces and intervened photography. Alongside select photography works Huizar is creating an installation piece involving the re signification of used objects as a part of his exploration of color, things and space.

Ciler’s practice implies disfiguration and manipulation of existing images. Through collage, drawings, and installations, he wrings out found images and positions them as visceral glosses, in order to talk about death, violence, beauty and the constructed environment. His showcased collection in Vessel is called “happy people”, this is an exercise of commentary with a dark sense of humor where color defiles vintage print in an effort to reflect on superimposed emotionality, historic memory and the longing for authenticity in a world of plastic formalitites and war.

Made possible by the Consulate of Mexico in Seattle.