Gustavo Artigas

Sin título, 2003

“Untitled” was carried out by Mexican artist Gustavo Artigas in collaboration with the fire department of the Panamanian capital. The work consisted of filling the Municipal Palace with smoke; the palace houses a little-known Museum of History whose collection includes the country’s Act of Independence. The reactions of passers-by range from total indifference to sobs and screams. In this way, they respond on the basis of their cultural memory to an event that has recurred at multiple times and places in Latin America as well as in the history of Panama City, founded in 1519 and for centuries one of the main ports for Europe and the Americas.

Gustavo Artigas. Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico, 1970

Over the last 25 years, Artigas has experimented with different media and visual art modalities such as Sound Art, Site Specific Installations, Performance Art, Relational works, educational platforms, light pieces and painting. Some of the most recognizable Some of the most recognizable works by Artigas relate ludic structures to disaster situations. His work dialogues with a with a wide variety of issues, from the political to the social identities and became part of the booming group of contemporary Mexican artists that emerged in the 90´s and made an important impact in the international art scene. As part of his practice he conducts specialized creativity workshops in countries like Canada, Argentina, Panama, France, Spain, Finland and Mexico. From 2010 to 2018 he was Professor for Contemporary Art at Escuela Nacional de Pintura Escultura y Grabado La Esmeralda en la Ciudad de México. Since 2018 he co-directs with art mediator and pedagogical curator Muna Cann, the Contemporary Art initiative Art Links Inc. based in Canada. Some collaborations include MOCA Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto, TheSite Magazine and YYZ Artist Outlet.