MEXICO CITY
ART WEEK
For five days, Karen-Sofie Kvamme (Kurimanzutto) and Hannah Halbheer (GSH Contemporary) took a group of young collectors from Zürich and New York on a journey of discovery through Mexico City. A city that has so much to offer: art, architecture, design, hidden places, incredible food, countless mezcalitas— and, if unlucky, a small taste of Montezuma’s revenge.
The goal was not just to visit but to experience, to engage with the city beyond its well-trodden paths. Through studio visits and one on one dialogues with local artists, exploring hidden courtyards, and indulging in the city's vibrant culinary scene, the trip unfolded as an invitation to see Mexico City through fresh and artistic eyes.
The days unfolded in an organic rhythm: leisurely strolls through Roma Norte and Condesa, stepping through unassuming doors into lush, secret courtyards, and starting the mornings with pastries from Rosetta, basking in the sun of a February winter escape. More than just an itinerary, it was an intimate and creative journey, opening new perspectives and encouraging exploration.
PRE-FAIR GALLERY OPENING NIGHT AT KURIMANZUTTO
As usual, one would kick off an art week with gallery openings the night before the main fair’s preview day. In Mexico, one of the most iconic gallery spaces is home to Kurimanzutto. Their space embodies the city’s signature blend of indoor and outdoor architecture, creating an experience that feels both expansive and intimate. At the gallery’s opening night crowds of local and international art-world figures were flowing in, all here for one of the most anticipated exhibitions of the week.
Haegue Yang’s show titled Arcane Abstractions transforms the gallery into a realm of shifting light, quiet movement, and unexpected textures. A dynamic interplay of sculptures, installations, and light-based works invites visitors to move through the space, where perception changes with every step. The works respond to their surroundings, creating an experience that is as much about the viewer’s presence as it is about the art itself.
TACOS AND TEQUILA WITH NORDENHAKE GALLERY
The Swedish gallery’s Mexico outpost opened the show by Yngve Holen in their space designed by the Mexican star-architect Frida Escobedo. The exhibition ‘Furrow’ presents a body of work inspired by Mexico itself – bronze-cast agave leaves, their organic forms preserved through an industrial process. A dialogue between nature and fabrication, tradition and transformation, the sculptures reflect the plants that define Mexico’s visual urban landscape: now frozen in time, rendered in metal.
STUDIO VISIT:
BARBARA SÁNCHEZ-KANE
Entering Barbara’s studio in Roma, a visitor is welcomed by a live sized copy of Diana Cazadora – the Huntress Diana – a Roman goddess drawing her bow, originally standing tall on Paseo de la Reforma since 1942. More than just a sculpture, she is a symbol of Mexican history, one that has been altered over time. She draws fascination for Barbara Sánchez-Kane: sometimes clothed, sometimes bare; once censored, her nudity covered. A figure of power, yet stripped of her bow, her arrow, her protection: so strong, yet so vulnerable.
This tension – between masculinity and femininity, power and fragility – runs through Barbara’s work. Both artist and fashion designer, her practice blurs the lines between art, performance, and wearable sculpture. Rooted in themes of gender, identity, and social constructs, she challenges traditional expectations, often using found objects, text, and deconstructed garments. Materials like the old punching bags - filled with sweat and energy of the boxers who trained on them - that are spread around the winding space of Barbara’s studio.
ZONAMACO:
VIP PREVIEW
Zonamaco is the largest and most influential art fair in Latin America, and hence the official reason (or excuse?) for the international art world’s annual pilgrimage to Mexico City. Held at the Citibanamex Convention Center, the main fair’s preview was packed with art world visitors who braved the city’s infamous traffic - including a small group of young collectors guided through the fair by Karen-Sofie and Hannah.
ART BY THE LAKE: A GUIDED TOUR THROUGH LAGO ALGO
The cultural center Lago Algo, located by the lake of Chapultepec Park, came to life when Covid slowed down the global gastronomy and event scene, leaving behind an empty space that called for reinvention. Rather than let it sit dormant, the team behind OMR Gallery joined forces with the Lago Algo restaurant and transformed the modernist building into a hybrid venue where art would meet architecture and gastronomy.
CONTRAMAR:
THE ART WORLD’S ZONAMACO CANTEEN
Contramar is a not-to-be-missed culinary experience when in the Mexican capital and should go on every tourist’s google maps ‘want to go’-list. The legendary seafood restaurant invites for a long, boozy lunch – serving up impeccably fresh dishes in a lively, sun-drenched setting. The tuna tacos had to be ordered twice – having them once is simply not enough.
GETTING LOST AT SALON ACME
Salon Acme is not just another art fair but a true highlight of every year’s CDMX art week. It’s an artist-driven initiative where discovery is part of the experience. Young talents take center stage, their works scattered throughout a historic, almost surreal venue. Music and drinks flow as freely as the conversations, while the building itself becomes part of the adventure – a labyrinth of winding staircases and hidden corners. Navigating the crowds, getting lost in its magic, and finally fighting the way up to the rooftop – a reward with a view.
STUDIO VISIT:
JOSÉ EDUARDO BARAJAS
Karen-Sofie and Hannah organized another studio visit to start the day: the young, up-and-coming artist José Eduardo Barajas welcomed the group into his studio. Finished paintings lean against the walls, while canvases in progress hang nearby, still evolving. Color is everywhere — pooled in cups on the floor and table, smeared on the walls, shaping the space as much as the works themselves. José is known for his vibrant, layered compositions that explore themes of memory, identity, and cultural heritage. His inspiration comes from everyday experiences, carefully recorded in his numerous sketchbooks—intimate diaries that serve as the foundation for what ultimately becomes a painting.
SLOWING DOWN AT LULU
The independent project space Lulu, an initiative by Mexican artist Martin Soto Climent, offers a refreshing contrast to the city's more conventional art venues. For this occasion, he invited Polina Stroganova to curate a small group show ‘Roaming the Fold’ in his private home—a setting that transforms into an intimate exhibition space. Surrounded by lush plants, the atmosphere is a quiet retreat, a place to slow down and reflect amid the intensity of the week. All three artists who are part of the show, Pablo Arellano, Erin Frost and Martin were present, fostering a lively dialogue not only about their work but also about the nature of intimacy in art—how spaces, objects, and personal connections shape the experience of creation and viewing.
JUST ANOTHER ARCHITECTURAL HIGHLIGHT: CASA WABI SABINO
Casa Wabi Sabino is a sanctuary of contemporary creativity – an architectural masterpiece by Alberto Kalach where raw materials meet minimalist precision. Designed as a cultural hub by Mexican artist Bosco Sodi, the space echoes the ethos of its coastal counterpart in Puerto Escondido (designed by Tadao Ando), creating a dialogue between artists and the local community. Sodi, known for his richly textured, pigment-heavy paintings and sculptural works, founded Casa Wabi as a platform for artistic exchange, where process and place shape the creative outcome as much as the work itself.
¡HASTA LUEGO, CDMX!
Filled with impressions and discoveries, the days in Mexico City unfolded like a whirlwind – intense, inspiring, and still not quite enough. The trip ended calmly at Soho House, right by the pool, sipping on a glass of Picante de la Casa. While ending this trip exhausted and yet still buzzing with energy, there is so much more to see – another gate to open, another artist to discover, another taco to eat; another reason to return.
