Surrealism, freedom and identity at Zona Maco

Guest curators of the art fair give details about the selection of participating galleries
Arts by artists such as Wilfredo Lam, Diego Rivera, Ana Gallardo and Leonora Carrington are some of those that will be present at the 21st edition of the Zona Maco art fair.

“It is one of the most international editions of all,” said Direlia Lazo, creative director of the fair, at a press conference.

Esteban King, curator in charge of the modern art section, explained that 12 galleries will participate, mainly from Mexico, but some from the United States and Colombia will also be present.

“The modern art section is an invitation to see emblematic pieces from the 20th century, but also to see how these pieces challenge us,” King said.

Latin American art will dominate this section, but they also assure that there will be many pieces by artists from the surrealist movement, on the occasion of its centenary, celebrated last year.
“It highlights a great variety of pieces by women related to the movement, especially by Leonora Carrington,” he added.

In Zona Maco Ejes, led by Bernardo Mosqueira, chief curator of the Institute for Studies on Latin American Art, he explained that the theme of the section is freedom, its object of research.
I think it is urgent. As Paul Valéry said, freedom is one of those words that have more value than meaning, that asks, instead of answering; it is a word that leaves a mark on theology, metaphysics, morality and politics; it is a useful word in controversies, dialectics and oratory. So it is a word that has been used in speeches by both Mahatma Gandhi and Donald Trump, by the Ku Klux Klan and the Black Panthers, that is why it is important to discuss it,” he explained.

Mosquera said that 37 galleries will participate in the section, with 70 artists from more than 25 countries who use various media and strategies, some working on more political or philosophical themes and others addressing the relationship between freedom and art.
In Zona Maco Sur, curated by Manuela Moscoso (director of the Center for Art Research and Alliances), the themes of memory, identity and cultural tensions stand out.

“This year what I want to highlight are the practices that question dominant narratives and celebrate diversity. The section does not want to create closed ideas, but rather what production is in geographies like ours,” said Moscoso.

Zona Maco, which will take place from February 5 to 9, will also host sections dedicated to design, photography and antiques.
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