Material Art Fair returns with its sixth edition and continues to grow on the world stage
by the El Reportero’s news services
Mexico City’s Material Art Fair has built itself over the past six years to become one of the world’s preeminent independent contemporary art fairs, this year featuring 73 galleries from 22 countries and 37 cities – the most geographically diverse to date.
In addition to the international showing, the fair features 18 Mexican galleries, with Mexico City favorites, LABOR, joségarcia and Lulu among them. Material has made a name for itself partly for its fellowship with the community it espouses, welcoming art fans of all levels with open arms.
This will mark Material’s second year at Frontón México, a breathtaking Art Deco-era jai alai stadium at the foot of the Monument to the Revolution in Colonia Tabacalera.
Rodrigo Feliz, partner and exhibitor liaison, says, “We’ve never seen this level of competition in the fair’s application process.
A first-time exhibitor, Jack Hanley Gallery will be showing Massachusetts-based painter Emma Kohlmann’s stylized hieroglyphic works on paper, representations of a sort of modern artifact. Lindner-Sutti explains, “The imagery of Emma’s works is heavily influenced by ancient figurines, statues and mythological narratives which relate perfectly to a city like Mexico City with such a rich history and culture. In a more practical sense, her works on paper are still very affordable which makes them accessible to a broad, young audience and collector base.”
The fair will certainly continue to grow within the establishment as the years progress, but its fresh outlook is a welcome comfort. Future Gallery, showing an international roster this year of Romanian artist Botond Keresztesi, Lithuanian duo Pakui Hardware and Mexican artist Julieta Gil, has been an exhibitor since the fair’s inception.
Mercedes Gómez, director of Future Mexico City, explains, “Mexico hasn’t fully defined itself in the international art community and neither has Material. It’s as if they’re both finding their identities together.”
Material opened to the public at on Thursday, Feb. 7 through Sunday 10. https://material-fair.com/en/. (by Andy Hume).
The Caribbean to Star Cinelatino Festival in France
Film production from the Caribbean will take center stage at the forthcoming Cinelatino festival, scheduled from March 22 to 31 in the city of Toulouse, in southern France, the organizing committee announced.
According to the statement, ‘if Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti are the driving forces, a large number of small islands also focus on the cinematographic landscape.’
Therefore, the 31st edition of Cinelatino will also emphasize the seventh art produced in Aruba, Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Curacao, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and the Bahamas.
Many of these films ‘reveal how countries radically transformed in the political and social level are living the uncertainty of their future,’ the text added.
Likewise, it continued, they are works that explore daily life and personal dramas with new energy, in genres such as fiction, urban dramas, multiple stories anchored in that kaleidoscope region.
Wealth also comes from the multiplicity of languages, since there are films in English, French, Creole, among other languages.
The statement highlighted the participation of specialists such as the Haitian actor James Noel and the young Cuban producer Claudia Calviño, who will make reference to the development of cinema in her country in recent years with a leading role of women filmmakers and producers.
