Editor’s Note: This story is part of Newsmakers, an ARTnews series where we interview the movers and shakers who are making change in the art world.
With a commitment to elevating art from the Global South, Brazilian curator Bernardo Mosqueira has solidified a position as one of the most exciting and challenging curators working today. Over a decade ago, Mosqueira founded the experimental arts nonprofit Solar dos Abacaxis in Rio de Janeiro and, in 2023, he became the first chief curator for the Institute for Studies on Latin American Art in New York.
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For the second year, Mosqueira returns to Mexico City to curate Zona Maco Ejes, a section of the fair dedicated to emerging artists and galleries united under a single theme. For this edition, Mosqueira asked galleries to interrogate freedom, and its relationship to art. That theme is not a new one for Mosqueira, who told ARTnews that he’s been exploring the concept since his first show in 2010. He borrowed the title for his exhibition, “Freedom is Not Enough. What I desire has yet no name,” from a line in Ukrainian Brazilian novelist Clarice Lispector’s debut novel Near to the Wild Heart. In the years since, at Solar, ISLAA, and the New Museum, Mosqueira has curated numerous shows interrogating freedom, both directly and indirectly, and its relationship to politics, eroticism, gender, class, and much more.
“This question of art and freedom is absolutely central to what’s happening right now,” Mosqueira explained. “[This section] is an invitation, even for myself, to be really present and really aware of about what is happening in our context and to not lose attention.”
Ahead of Mexico City Art Week’s kick off, ARTnews sat down with Mosqueira to talk about his ongoing investigations of freedoms, and what has surprised him in working with a new generation of artists and galleries emerging right now.
This interview has edited lightly for clarity and concision.
ARTnews: Why did you feel it was important to explore the relationship between freedom and art right now?
Bernardo Mosqueira: It is a very important matter in my work, and, for various reasons, it feels more urgent than ever to discuss freedom, its importance, and the relationship between art and freedom and culture and freedom in our time. It feels particularly interesting to do that inside of an art fair. It is both a challenge and an opportunity to highlight the role of the market in this relationship. I worked with another curator, Matheus Morani, who has worked with me at Solar dos Abacaxis for many years.
Together, we’ve made another very diverse and expansive section. We are gathering 39 galleries. We are showing over 70 artists from almost 30 different countries—most of the artists are young and from the Global South. There is work from other regions too, from what I’d call the different “souths” in the North. We have many solo booths, which is something that I really like. Some of them are more like installations, which challenges the rhythm of the fair. There are some presentations with small works on the walls and some historical presentations of older artists who are finally being recognized. But most of the galleries are young galleries, or other kinds of initiatives, like nonprofits, that are very close to the artists and very intimately devoted to the development and nurturing of their careers.
Do you find that that type of organization is more common in the Global South? Or is that just your preference on what you try to elevate?
There wasn’t any clear instruction or parameters for the section to work with galleries or initiatives from the Global South. In my work at Zona Maco, which is very similar to my work in institutions [like ISLAA or the New Museum], there is a desire to highlight practices that would not be there if it wasn’t for our work. We understand these opportunities as opportunities to dispute: to dispute visibility, to dispute how artworks receive value, to dispute how they’re valued. We understand these occasions as opportunities to occupy these spaces with certain kinds of practices that, as a natural consequence of that, ends up opening more space for artists from the Global South. But it’s not exclusive. There are artists from Italy, from the Netherlands, and from the United States mixed in. But there’s also work from Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, Iran, Egypt, Ecuador, Cuba, Latvia, Ukraine, Uganda, and Ethiopia. It is also very nice to see these agents meeting at the fair and seeing what happens when they work next to each other—the artists themselves but also what happens when a gallery from South Africa is next to a gallery from Egypt and a gallery from Ecuador. To see what that triggers in terms of an exchange of experiences, future collaborations, and support.
Curating for a fair is quite different from curating a show at, say, ISLAA or another institution. Could you talk about how that context inflects your approach?
Curators, in general, are mediators. And very often, we are connectors. We negotiate how certain artists, practices, people, or concepts are portrayed. We negotiate how they’re valued and how they are put into relation with each other and to the market. The market has a very strong relationship to the art system in general. Not only when we are working in an art fair, but when we work at institutions, too.
We are constantly engaging with the market in various ways. It is a significant challenge to consider how we can cultivate these relationships in a manner that aligns with the goals, principles, and morals of our work. Curating a section of a fair presents numerous challenges, but it also gives us the opportunity to support artists who are important to us. It allows us to find ways to support these artists and connect them with individuals who can further their careers. Facilitating these relationships is an aspect of the work that excites me.
Working with Zona Maco, one of the largest fairs in Latin America, and Art Rio offers unique possibilities based on the location and context of the fair. The type of collectors who attend fairs in the Global South create different opportunities for the work we showcase.
The context plays a crucial role in shaping our work. When curating a section for a place like Mexico City, I envision the relationships and networks we can build among artists, galleries, and agents in the Global South. At ISLAA, my focus is on challenging value systems and definitions from the North. Similarly, at Solar in Rio, we aim to establish connections with other regions in the Global South, fostering exchanges and collaborations between different areas.
Exploring the concept of freedom in art from countries like those featured in the Ejes section raises interesting questions. These countries have diverse perspectives on freedom, making it a contested and complex idea to navigate. Understanding how individuals from different backgrounds interpret and utilize the concept of freedom adds depth to our discussions and enhances our understanding of the topic.
The quote by Paul Valery on freedom captures the multifaceted nature of the concept. Freedom is a word that holds different meanings for various groups and is often at the center of contentious debates. Exploring freedom from diverse cultural and intellectual perspectives enriches our understanding and allows for new approaches to the concept.
The story of the professor in China highlights the varied interpretations of freedom. Different cultures and contexts shape how individuals perceive and experience freedom, leading to diverse perspectives on the topic. Recognizing the different forms of freedom beyond a singular definition is essential for a more nuanced understanding of the concept.
In Western philosophy, the idea that freedom and democracy are interconnected and essential for abundance and happiness has been challenged by individuals from different backgrounds. Examining these foundational concepts from diverse viewpoints can lead to a deeper appreciation of the complexities surrounding freedom and democracy. We are currently in a time where people from various backgrounds are questioning the concept of freedom: Is it singular or can it be plural? Is what we label as democracy truly democracy? Many ideas that were once considered taboo from the Enlightenment era are now being challenged.
It is imperative that we actively engage in this questioning process. If we don’t, those who seek to undermine democracy and freedom will take the lead. The intersection of art and freedom is crucial in our current reality. This piece serves as a reminder to stay present and attentive to the ongoing changes in our environment.
Have you encountered any artists or artworks in this section that have surprised you or challenged your beliefs about freedom?
Within this section, there are artists addressing political issues of both past and present times. Some are questioning the very notion of freedom itself, while others are exploring the relationship between art and freedom. It is fascinating to witness the variety of responses, including unexpected presentations on abstraction that have become a significant focus for this generation. These presentations have been included for further exploration.
There are many unexpected elements in this journey, and I look forward to seeing how these works manifest in terms of space, media diversity, and artistic strategies. Some presentations delve into topics like sexuality, gender, and historical relationships, offering a broad range of perspectives.
It’s intriguing to discuss the significance of abstraction to the current generation, especially considering its historical context during the Cold War era in the US. Artists today seem to be using abstraction in different ways than before.
The history of abstraction is complex and multifaceted, with various cultural influences and political movements shaping its development. Recent scholarship has shed light on the diverse forms of abstraction that have been overlooked in art history. This section showcases artists intertwining their explorations of abstraction with diverse themes and experiences, creating unique and thought-provoking works.
The use of abstraction as a form of refusal to be categorized or labeled is a notable trend among artists today. This approach challenges traditional notions of identity and allows for greater artistic freedom and expression. The concept of opacity, as discussed by Édouard Glissant, is also prevalent, with artists using it as a means of protection and a new way of engaging with the world.
The 21st edition of Zona Maco will be held from February 5 to February 9 at the Citibanamex Center in Mexico City.