Mexican curator Alfredo Huerta wants to present a new societal narrative based on the way artists see the world around them. Like the French philosopher Maurice Merleau Ponty, Alfredo believes one’s perception of the world is based on lived experience. He sees the creative processes of artists, rather than the end result, as the key to unlocking different historical, geographical, political and economic fragments of society. 

No limits

Not wanting to limit his practice to a formal activity that can only exist within exhibition spaces, Alfredo wants to break free of out-dated curatorial stereotypes. “At this point in my career I consider the curatorial practice as a creative activity.” He sees curation as an artistic process. New curatorial models are generated through experimentation and critical review. It is important for him to generate empathy and an emotional bond between the creative process, the artist and himself. He sees this as the way to interpret the works in such a way that allows viewers deeper access to their own reality through the lens of artists. 

“Art responds to the social and spiritual needs of a certain context. I like to think of it this way because it is what allows me to work with human perception and its evolution.“ 

This means building on his academic training rather than abandoning it. Alfredo sees this knowledge as a means to creating a logical dialogue between the artist and the community. He prefers to approach his practice from an historical context. The aim is to encourage the contemplation of different temporalities.  “As an emerging curator I like to think about the fissures of the past in order to experiment with new discourses and aesthetic references in contemporary art.” In his work as an art historian, he explored 1940s Mexican modern architecture. This allowed him to see the varied physical manifestations brought into being as a result different social contexts.

images by PILOTENKUECHE or supplied by curator

Growing up in Zapopan, a major Mexican city near Guadalajara, Alfredo quickly became interested in architecture. Later, as a teenager, he took up photography. He then went on to study art history at the University of Guadalajara. He had the opportunity to do an exchange program at the Universidad Autonoma de Mexico in Morelia. 

Alfredo’s attraction to objects

It was in Morelia that he met Colombian artist Adriana Salazar, with whom he began to experiment with curatorial work. Whilst curating her exhibition, All things living, all things dead:Lake of Texcoco, Alfredo came to an understanding of how different objects and their materiality can change meaning depending on the context in which you place them.

Apart from his current experience as a curator at PILOTENKUECHE, Alfredo continues to work on projects that explore the political specters of national and local history during the last century, as well as curatorial coordinator at Espacio Cabeza, a project space for the exhibition of emerging and experimental contemporary art in Guadalajara.

  written by maeshelle west-davies and Diégo Philip

Circle Becoming Body

Vernissage 19 Aug 7-10 PM

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