Arte a la Zona Maco Art Fair – Mexico City
Pop quiz. Where can you get perfect weather in April – 70-80 degrees, sun, palm trees, green grass, and art? Yes, I said art and not just any art… Contemporary art – all kinds of it from established Mexican painters and sculptors to international designers to emerging young, hip artists from all corners of the globe. If this sounds too good to be true, it isn’t. It is what we and over 30,000 of our closest, art loving friends were treated to at this year’s Zona Maco Art Fair held at the Centro Banamex convention center just west of Mexico City. In its 10th year, the show, once again, did not disappoint attendees and, too many, surpassed last years’ experience.
The show has evolved considerably in its decade existence with the number of galleries represented having grown from 22 in its first year to 110 in 2013. This year’s fair management is under the direction of Pablo Del Val, Chief Executive Officer of Zona Maco.
While Mexico does not normally evoke images of leadership in the artistic world, after having the chance to experience Zona Maco, it became evident that it certainly should. While traditionalism reigns in this part of the world, the artists and curators participating in this year’s fair clearly demonstrated their commitment to contemporary art in a class with their European and worldwide counterparts.
Similar to previous years, this year’s show was divided into five distinct sections. The first section, Seccion Principal (main section) was comprised of established artists and galleries from all ends of the earth – Berlin to New York, London to Monterrey.
The second section included pieces from the younger set, artists under the age of 35 and was curated by Swiss Mirjam Varadinis. Works ranged from abstract to art nouveau. The common denominator throughout this exhibit was bold – creative and unafraid. These artists clearly demonstrated their personal life experiences through their chosen medium and the result was a consistent, dynamic skill combined with a splash of color.
Section 3, Zona Maco Sur, had an interesting guiding principle – showcasing contemporary international works from the 1950’s through the end of the millennium. Much in line with Andy Warhol’s works of the period, the pure boldness and imagination displayed in the pieces was outstanding.
Zona Maco Modern Art – Like its counterpart Sur down the hall, Modern Art featured artwork with themes from the second half of the 20th century, however, this collection highlighted the artistic efforts of Latin artists primarily those of Mexico. The exhibit took a walk through historical and political events shaping Latin America during this time frame. Additional artists from Spain and South America were represented as well.
Section 5, Zona Maco Design was the nuts and bolts portion of the art show featuring lifestyle and home design exhibits. This section was fascinating to seasoned art professionals all the way to the art novice looking for creative ideas for their own home decor and everyone in between.
Key Facts
- In its 10th year, the Zona Maco Art Fair in Mexico city is one of the largest Latin American art shows.
- Comprised of five very unique sections, the show had something to offer for visitors of varied backgrounds and levels of artistic awareness.
- Influenced by Latin political movements and history, the fair showcased a large variety of art pieces of various mediums from worldwide talent.
- Awards issued – the Purification Garcia and the Collection Award 1800 for outstanding achievements in artistry.
Why Zona Maco
- Located in Mexico City in April, the weather and location provide a beautiful setting to enjoy the show.
- In addition to the art pieces, various conferences and lectures on a variety of art-related topics are available to all attendees.
Be Aware Of
- Crowds. With over 30,000 attendees, it is wise to attend at opening time or in the late afternoon.
- Consider taking public transportation rather than driving to avoid transit and parking nightmares.
To find out more about Slipstream’s unique travel services, you can check out our website www.slipstream.travel.
Images credits: View of Zona Maco from Flickr by Veemente, Maria Gabriela Brito book out Out There interior decoration design
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