marie lund grip 2 2018 copper

The Last Tenant exhibition by Masa Galeria [Mexico City]

Presented by Las Palmas 1145

The Last Tenant presented by Masa Galeria in Mexico City is an ambitious project featuring leading artists and designers, including Milena Muzquiz, Ana Pellicer, Hector Esrawe, and Carlos Amorales, which was curated by Mario Garcia Torres. Notably, Torres chose Mexico City for the show because of its stature as a location for art, architecture, design, and food.

The art fairs in Mexico City have become international, with many buildings and restaurants such as Masa Galeria offering spaces due to their unique environments. The Last Tenant was presented during Masa Galeria’s fourth iteration and includes works by Mexican and international artists. It is essential to review The Last Tenant exhibition show presented by Masa Galeria in Mexico City.

marie lund grip 2 2018 copper

The experience of entering the latest show, The Last Tenant, begins in a residential neighborhood on Las Palmas 1145. The architecture of this place looks like something created from the film, Visual Acoustic directed by Julias Shulman. Masa Galeria is now known for using beautiful locations for its art exhibition shows. The soothing sound emanating from the soundtrack reminds visitors that the gallery is a huge home changed into a modern ruin surrounded by overgrown vines, Jacaranda trees, abandoned roof tiles, and kept gardens. All these can be seen outside the gallery windows. In addition, the displays in the exhibition were arranged to allow the visitors to imagine the past lifestyle and stories of the house’s tenants. According to Torres, although there is minimal information about the white house at Palmas 1145, visitors can immediately imagine the daily routines, events, and celebrations that occurred in the house while entering it. Further, it is possible to connect the minute details that occurred from the materials used in it. Now, the exhibition displayed tends to appeal when needed to make sense of the stories and images therein.

front of house

Named The Last Tenant, the exhibition is a compilation of artwork, paintings, and sculptures by various designers and artists. The main intention of the show is to explore the undefined boundaries between what comprises a functional design and what constitutes an artwork. Jose Davila’s old furniture pieces are converted into eerie balancing sculptures. Another perched work by Davila is a wooden chest on a slab next to the house’s stairway. The wooden chest is connected to a huge rock located underneath it by a stretched black ratchet strap. Fractured into two, an old cupboard is positioned near the corner of the house to create a vague form. Upstairs, a table is horizontally fastened with a stretched ratchet strap that is wound in a wad on the wooden floor.

Mario Garcia Torres Acapulco Chair
Made from marbles, the Acapulco chair elicits immersive experience. The chair is placed in the house’s bathroom, making it prominent as it blends with the dark brown marble bathroom walls.

 mario garcia torres acapulco chairmario garcia torres acapulco chair 2

Marie Lund Grip 2, 2018 Copper
Displayed at the current The Last Tenant exhibition in Masa Galeria, Lund’s artwork is pinned on the wall. The artwork is created from an old newspaper, and plaster that is insulated with layers of paint.

marie lund grip 2 2018 copper 2

Jorge Yazpik’s Sin Titulo, 2020 Stone
Displayed outside the house during The Last Tenant exhibition, Sin Titulo is a wood steel sculpture. The artwork is made from a set of metal steel and wood created by the artist. The sculpture is created from various semi-precious stones.

The stone and wood material are well chiseled to bring out a unique artwork. In this artwork, Yazpik has incorporated a strong architectural design by carving into the wood material with precise geometric landscape that contrast the organic outer surfaces of the stones.

jorge yazpiks sin titulo 2020 stone

 

Hector Esrawe Small Solstice Lamp, 2021 in brass
The decorative work by Esrawe is made from brass. The upper brass material covering the lamp resembles the petals of a flower. The design brings out the perception of a moth on a bulb.

hector esrawe small solstice lamp 2021 in brasshector esrawe small solstice lamp 2021 in brass 2

Brian Thoreen hand hammered copper Untitled Coffee Tabe, 2021
The big Untitled Coffee Table by Brian Thoreen is made of hammered copper is placed in an empty room in the house during The Last Tenant exhibition. The round dark brown sculpture has a hole at the center resembling a doughnut.

 brian thoreen hand hammered copper untitled coffee tabe 2021brian thoreen hand hammered copper untitled coffee tabe 2021 2

Ana Pellicer Vestuario Para Nahui Ollin, 1999
Pellicer’s work includes brass cape, copper necklace, and hammered copper helmet. The displayed work also includes hammered copper with copper chains and electroplated lace.

ana pellicer vestuario para nahui ollin 1999ana pellicer vestuario para nahui ollin 1999 3ana pellicer vestuario para nahui ollin 1999 2

In retrospect, through The Last Tenant, Torres considers that by showcasing art, objects, and furniture in this house, he can make visitors reflect on their values and rhythms. Through the experiences in the exhibition, visitors can have a better understanding of Mexican and international artists and designers’ practices.

Most of the displayed artworks at The Last Tenant resemble utilitarian objects that can also be connected to the sculptural idea. Overall, The Last Tenant provokes visitors to keenly look at the displayed art and designs and reflect on time in connection to the creativity of the artists and designers. The house sparks all the details of the positioning of the art and designs in The Last Tenant on Las Palmas 1145 in Mexico City. The exhibition still continues until the 22nd of May, 2021 and Torres hopes that the displays will impact more visitors.

All photography by Tom de Peyret

 

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