Brian Thoreen, studio installation view of works for the upcoming “Non-Zero-Sum,” 2023 exhibition at MASA Gallery. Courtesy of Alejandro Ramirez Orozco.
Marking its fifth anniversary, MASA Gallery unveils two inaugural solo exhibitions at their first permanent space in the heart of Mexico City, on view from February 8 – April 8, 2023. The gallery’s expansion strengthens its ongoing commitment to present innovative positions of the local contemporary creative community through group and solo exhibitions focusing on collectible art and design.
In “Non-Zero-Sum“, artist and designer Brian Thoreen explores unconventional ways of fabrication and corporeality, expanding on traditional concepts and pushing the boundaries of materiality. While multidisciplinary conceptual artist Mario García Torres presents “The Space Under My Chair & The Music I Was Listening To“. As a homage to Bruce Nauman’s iconic sculpture and inspired by musical equipment design, García Torres explores a dialog between two series of works that shine a light on the limitless possibilities of fusing conceptuality and function.
Mario García Torres, “This Monochrome Was Made While Listening Repeatedly to Japan´s ‘Gentlemen Take Polaroids’ “.
The 18th-century Colonial house that MASA now calls home was previously owned by great art visionary, writer, and patron Federico Sánchez Fogarty. Known for some of the most extravagant parties of the 1960s and 1970s in Mexico City, the building was the historic location of over 300 of Fogarty’s “Fiestas del Tercer Imperio” (Parties of the Third Empire). Orchestrated with the very own brush of famous muralist José Clemente Orozco, the evenings were attended by artists, writers, and critics – all of whom contributed to the construction and aesthetics of modern Mexico. Defined by its stretched corridors, expansive space and five-meter-high ceilings, MASA revives this iconic space.
Founders Age Salajõe, Brian Thoreen and Héctor Esrawe fuse their devotion and expertise in collectible design in a space for curatorial exploration, experimentation, and conversation on the sensibility around art and design. Their collaborative spirit brings Mexico’s creative community together, turning MASA into a meeting point for local contemporary artists, designers and architects. Ever since their first show, “Collective/Collectible,” at an abandoned modernist mansion in Mexico City in 2019, the founders have embarked on a nomadic journey, nurturing a community of emerging creatives, such as Marrow, Xavier Loránd, Panorammmma and Adeline de Monseignat.
Though its home will be in Mexico City, MASA will continue to expand its nomadic journey and conversation around art and design with discussions and programs. Initiatives include MASA CASA, offering studio visits of Mexico’s most influential artists, and MASA KIDS, making the exhibition accessible to children with custom age activities. In addition, MASA plans to continue its new nomadic exhibitions globally, including an upcoming show in Paris.
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