Oklahoma City and Guadalajara connect through contemporary art exchange

Oklahoma Contemporary’s upcoming exhibition is an international exchange of cultural influence, helping to inspire Oklahoma City’s outlook on its potential future.

La casa que nos inventamos: Contemporary Art from Guadalajara features 19 Mexican artists and their nearly 50 works created within the last decade in a conceptual display of paintings, sculptures, installations, and performances. The artists’ home, Guadalajara, has gained prominence throughout the 2000s for its contemporary architecture, design, cuisine, literature, and visual art.

Oklahoma Contemporary Director, Jeremiah Matthew Davis, said the exchange comes as a result of years of research and dialogue between artists, galleries, institutions, and collectors in Guadalajara and Oklahoma City.

“We believe this exhibition and its related programs will uncover some unexpected parallels between the communities,” Davis said.

“For anyone who has ever wondered how an arts scene grows from tender seeds to a thriving ecosystem, this show is a must-see.”

Gonzalo Lebrija, Breve historia del tiempo, 2020. Plymouth Duster, dyed water, receptacle. Installed at Oklahoma Contemporary. Dimensions variable. Photos: Ann Sherman.

A first excerpt of the exhibition came weeks ago as Breve historia del tiempo by Gonzalo Lebrija was installed at Campbell Art Park near the Contemporary. This installation, translated to English as “Brief History of Time,” displays a 2,500-pound Plymouth Duster automobile suspended above a 50-foot reflecting pool. The piece speaks to fleeting moments and the magic that may come when they are frozen in time.

La casa que nos inventamos: Contemporary Art from Guadalajara will bring even more internationally recognized artists to Oklahoma City like; Jose Dávila, Eduardo Sarabia, Francisco Ugarte, Isa Carillo, Larissa Garza, Renata Petersen, Octavia Abúndez, Alejandro Almanza Pereda, Zazil Barba, Julieta Beltrán, Claudia Cisneros, Hiram Constantino, Florencia Guillén, Cynthia Guitiérrez, Carmen Huizar, Jorge Méndez Blake, Daniela Ramírez, and Gabriel Rico.

Headshot of Viviana Kuri, guest curator.

The exhibit is guest-curated by Viviana Kuri, Director and Chief Curator of Museo de Arte de Zapopan, a contemporary art museum in Mexico.

“Through over 40 works; massive outdoor sculptures, a sprawling colorful mural, quiet paintings, a luminous video, lively performance; by nearly 20 emerging and mid-career artists, the exhibition transforms Oklahoma Contemporary inside and out,” Kate Green, Guest Director of Curational Affairs at Oklahoma Contemporary said.

“What makes for a fertile creative community? What defines the cultural language of a city? As the title suggests, the answers lie within the artworks, artists, and dynamic city; in the beautiful house they have together invented.”

Octavio Abundéz, A Utopian History of Humanity, 2019. Hi(stories). 256 canvases, acrylic on canvas. 6 x 12 x 1 in. each. Courtesy of the artist.

La casa que nos inventamos: Contemporary Art from Guadalajara will open alongside the Contemporary’s Open House. Beginning with the exhibition’s opening reception and celebration, the Open House weekend will incorporate a list of free, family-friendly events.

During the opening celebration, visitors can take part in palm readings with Isa Carrillo, or a photo booth in The Garde lounge. Performances of Cruz Roja will be held each day, exploring language and meaning, using objects connected to culture of Guadalajara. Music, food, and a cash bar will be included in the opening weekend, as well.

Live mariachi music, family artmaking, guided tours, artist talks, a car show and parade will all be held on Saturday, September 24.

You can find a more detailed list of Open House activities, here. For more information on Oklahoma Contemporary and the upcoming exhibition, La casa que nos inventamos: Contemporary Art from Guadalajara, visit oklahomacontemporary.org.