Art under the sign of freedom

The project was part of the celebrations for the Mexican Independence bicentenary (1810) and the Mexican Revolution centenary (1910). The participating artists, who were selected and invited by an academic committee, address the subject of freedom in their art. Among them are internationally renowned artists such as Leonora Carrington, Mimmo Paladino, and René Derouin. 

Zeroing in on cultural identity
The results are works that adopt controversial, sometimes socio-political, sometimes surrealistic or abstract responses to the question of the cultural identity of the Mexican people. The prints were executed in editions limited to 100 in different fine-art printmaking studios in the country. Half of them were distributed among Mexican institutions, while the remaining prints were donated as gifts to leading public collections all over the world, among them the Kunstmuseum Bern.

A dive into Mexico’s history
When we are confronted by contemporary Mexican art, it is inevitable that we simultaneously reflect on the historic moments that most profoundly impacted Mexico's history, such as when the country gained independence from Spanish colonial rule in 1810 and when, some 100 years later, the people revolted against the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz. Since the beginning of the 20th century the work of many Mexican artists focuses on identity and reflects on such subject matter as life, death, and freedom. Printmaking has played a leading role especially during the revolution, as many lithographs and illustrated pamphlets have been produced during this time. The sheets in the exhibition represent a variety of printmaking techniques. They are largely black-and-white, ranging from figurative to abstract styles, and frequently reference traditional symbolism. The presentation of the exhibition at the Kunstmuseum Bern has been thematically subdivided into the four areas of ‘History’, ‘Figuration’, ‘Surrealism’, and ‘Abstraction’, setting the framework for visitors to explore Mexico’s history and its contemporary art.

With artworks by: Fernando Aceves Humana (*1969); Franco Aceves Humana (*1965); Per Anderson (*1946); Mario Benedetti (*1938); Pilar Bordes (*1948); Marisa Boullosa (*1961); Pier Buraglio (*1939); Leonora Carrington (1917–2011); José Antonio Castillo (*1958); Francisco Castro Leñero (*1954); José
Castro Leñero (*1953); Patricia Córdoba (*1973); René Derouin (*1936); Helen Escobedo (1934–2010); Manuel Felguérez (*1928); Javier Fernández (*1951); Demián Flores (*1971); Arturo García Bustos (*1926); Emiliano Gironella (*1972); Roger von Gunten (*1933); Raúl Herrera (*1941); Cisco Jiménez (*1969); Joy Laville (*1923); José Lazcarro Toquero (*1941); Nicola López (*1975); Luis López Loza (*1939); Gabriel
Macotela (*1954); Javier Marín (*1962); Rubén Maya (*1964); Mónica Mayer (*1954); Adolfo Mexiac
Calderón (*1927); Flor Minor (*1961); Terumi Moriyama (*1969); Guillermo Olguín (*1969); Irma Palacios (*1943); Mimmo Paladino (*1948); Alejandro Pérez Cruz (*1966); Enrique Pérez Martínez (*1975); Joel Rendón (*1967); Luis Ricaurte (*1964); Betsabé Romero (*1963); Rafael Ruiz Moreno (*1969); Alejandro Santiago (*1964); Ana Santos (*1978); Monica Saucedo (*1966); Raymundo Sesma (*1954); José Martín Sulaimán (*1958); Eloy Tarcisio (*1955); Roberto Turnbull (*1959); Andrés Vázquez Gloria (*1971); Saúl Villa (*1958); Boris Viskin (*1960)

Contact person: Brigit Bucher, , T +41 31 328 09 21
Images: Marie Louise Suter, , T+ 41 31 328 09 53 

Images and dokumentations