On the occasion of the opening reception, the artist will activate his sculptures with a rhythmic recitation of three poems by Concha Urquiza at Regen Projects.
Regen Projects is pleased to present an exhibition of new works by Abraham Cruzvillegas. For his third solo presentation at Regen Projects, Cruzvillegas takes inspiration from the work of Mexican poet Concha Urquiza to create an all-new series of drawings, paintings, and sculptures all produced on-site during the installation of the exhibition.
Over the past decade Cruzvillegas has continually explored the ways in which his life and experiences can find representation in physical form. His humorous but incisive takes on identity often employ animal avatars to draw out similarities between humans and other species, particularly primates. In a new series of drawings, the artist’s own photographic likeness serves as the basis for such investigations. Thin textiles printed with images of his face act as canvases that...Cruzvillegas will embellish with designs rendered in bold colors. Employing a similar formal language, the artist will also present a group of large-scale calligraphic paintings. Composed flat on the gallery floor, he will use a mop or broom to apply paint in loose, expressive gestures that serve as records of their performative nature and translate from the rhythms and tones of the poems of Concha Urquiza into abstract form.
Cruzvillegas’s practice is guided by an aesthetic and conceptual ethos he terms autoconstrucción. Literally meaning “self-construction,” it is inspired by ad hoc and collaborative popular building methods common to urban Mexico, in particular the Ajusco neighborhood of Mexico City where he was raised. Continuing his interest in functional form, the artist has designed three new structures that will serve at once as sculpture, platform, and gallery seating. Taking rudimentary geometric shapes and primary colors as their basis, these new works expand on sculptures first showcased in the artist’s recent presentation Agua dulce at the Bass Museum, Miami Beach. For this exhibition, they will become elements of a performance taking place at the gallery on the occasion of the opening reception, where they will serve as platforms for a rhythmic reading by Cruzvillegas of three of Urquiza’s poems.
Abraham Cruzvillegas (b. 1968, Mexico City, Mexico) earned a BA in pedagogy from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico City in 1990. From 1987–1991 he participated in Gabriel Orozco’s workshop, known as Taller de los Viernes, or The Friday Workshop, alongside Damián Ortega, Gabriel Kuri, and Jerónimo “Dr. Lacra” López. From 2018–2021, he taught sculpture at l'École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He lives and works in Mexico City.
Cruzvillegas’s work has been shown in solo exhibitions worldwide including, most recently, Agua dulce, Bass Museum of Art, Miami Beach (2020–2022); Song, La Maison de Rendez-Vous, Brussels (2020); Tautología sin Título, Galería Macchina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago (2019); The Ballad of Etc., The Arts Club of Chicago (2019); Hi, how are you, Gonzo?, The Contemporary Austin and Aspen Art Museum (2019); Autorreconstrucción: Social Tissue, Kunsthaus Zürich (2018); The Water Trilogy 3: Autoconclusion: Ideologically Inconsistent Identity: Jetties, Gutters & Urinals, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam (2017); The Water Trilogy 2: Autodefensión Microtonal Obrera Campesina Estudiantil Metabolista Descalza, Fondation d’entreprise Hermès, Tokyo (2017); Abraham Cruzvillegas: Approximating Vibrant Retroflex Self-Constriction, Carré d'Art — Musée d’art contemporain, Nîmes (2016); Autocontusión, Scrap Metal, Toronto (2016); Empty Lot, Tate Modern, London (2015); MALI in situ, Museo de arte de Lima (2015); Autoconstrucción, Museo Jumex, Mexico City and Museo Amparo, Puebla (2014); The Autoconstrucción Suites, Haus der Kunst, Munich (2014) and Walker Art Center, Minneapolis (2013); among others.
He has participated in the 2nd Biennale d’Architecture d’Orléans, France (2019); Honolulu Biennial (2019); 21st Biennale of Sydney (2018); X Bienal de Nicaragua, Managua (2016); 12th Sharjah Biennial, United Arab Emirates (2015); 10th and 12th Havana Biennial (2009, 2015); Shanghai Biennial (2012); Documenta13, Kassel (2012); 12th Istanbul Biennial (2012); and the 50th Venice Biennale (2003).
Cruzvillegas was the recipient of the 5th Yanghyun Foundation Yanghyun Prize (2012) and the Fundación Altadis Prix Altadis d’arts plastiques (2006). He was the artist in residence at the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) (2010–2011); Capp Street Project at CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts (2009); Smithsonian Institution’s Artist Research Fellowship (2008); a joint resident at the Center for Contemporary Arts and Cove Park (2008); Civitella Ranieri Foundation (2007); Brownstone Foundation (2006–07); and Atelier Calder (2005).
Entrada actualizada el el 31 mar de 2022
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