Five Must-See Works from Zona MACO
I am drawn to works, particularly paintings, that are aesthetically diverse and perpetually engaging. I need a good reason to get a closer look and keep coming back. A simplistic canvas that is well balanced in an unconventional sense and structurally interesting will also satisfy my love for raw, minimalist works. I wanted to include a well balanced selection of artists, established and emerging, international and domestic.
Lawrence Weiner, ABOVE ABOVE THE MOONLIGHT, 2013, at Mai 36 Galerie
Text-based works are a particularly interesting collector focus, considering the massive influence of social media in our daily lives. Weiner’s early language-based sculptures clearly set the stage for artists of such import as Jenny Holzer, Ed Ruscha, and Barbara Kruger. The medium is also a refreshing departure from your usual canvas.
Moris, Haré que te muerdas la cola, 2014, at Arróniz Arte Contemporáneo
Moris’s work captures the raw essence of Mexico City, looking to the streets and the social underworld to draw his inspiration. Certainly an artist to watch as his work continues to be included in major public and private institutions such as MoMA, MoCA, and Fundación Jumex.
Travis Boyer, Involved Homosexual Group in Cut-offs, 2013, at Johannes Vogt Gallery
This work has such an charismatic use of media, including acrylic, cyanotype, and dye, and has a beautiful fluidity to it. The lack of constraining stretcher bars and an asymmetrical format give the work a certain freedom that is unusual and very appealing. With exhibitions spanning from SOMA Arts, San Francisco, to Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York, to Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, I have no hesitation in following Andrew Kreps to see where his career heads.
Jose Dávila, Inverted Sunset, 2013, at Travesia Cuatro
Dávila’s inclusion in ArtInfo’s recent article “50 Under 50: The Next Most Collectable Artists” was spot on. This Guadalajara native is as well heeled as his American counterparts. He was the recipient of support from the Andy Warhol Foundation, and his work touts inclusion in exhibitions, collections, and institutions such as MoMA PS1, New York; Museo de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid; Fundación Jumex, Mexico City; Max Wigram Gallery, London; Galería OMR, Mexico City. Inverted Sunset is a stunning example of Dávila’s practice, paying homage to his architectural roots and speaking to his interest in occupying space. Part painting, part sculpture, part installation, this work shines on its own and plays well with others.
Wolfgang Tillmans, Helsinki, 2006, at Galería Juana de Aizpuru
Since he first emerged in the ’90s (and of note, was the first photographer to win the UK’s prestigious Turner Prize in 2000) Tillmans has never stopped redefining photography. These abstract works blur the lines between painting and photography—and if electricity had a color palette, this would be it. The abstraction is just enough, but not overpowering. His oeuvre will never be boring. Stick around for the ride.
