Rubén Gutiérrez

In the exhibition Fictions about Shelters and Accidental Communities artist Rubén Gutiérrez from Monterrey, Mexico, presents artworks belonging to three series that share a common theme of fictitious narratives about forms of sociability. Whether in the 6th episode of "Forzar la puerta del presente" where the mere existence of a couple of voices enables the exchange of ideas, in the drawings of the series "Amigos imaginarios" (Imaginary Friends), or in the intervened photographs of "Nueva Ruta de la Amistad" (New Friendship Route), Gutiérrez's images point towards a larger narrative that transcends the individual works. In this narrative, one or more individuals come together through dialogue or action in a speculative "safe space" located in the artist's imagination.

The black spheres in "Forzar la puerta del presente” Episode 6, roll through the exhibition space engaging in a profound dialogue that disregards any "character development" that would situate the spheres within a social framework. These minimalist pieces lack gender, age, clothing, profession, or even a distinct voice. Consequently, they do not conform to expectations of how specific types of people would interact with each other. Instead, they replicate a kind of internal dialogue, where only the dialogical form of language remains, its capacity to address another, even if that other is no one or oneself.

In the series "Amigos imaginarios," the artist refers to a childhood experience in which he imagined not just a single friend but a whole ensemble of diminutive clay creatures inhabiting the space under his bed, each with its own life and a set of connections, aspirations, and longings manifested in their domestic universe.

Lastly, the intervened photographs of "Nueva Ruta de la Amistad" depict the locations of this famous sculpture series constructed in Mexico City for the XIX Olympic Games in 1968, as well as other emblematic sites such as the Lago Menor in Chapultepec Forest. In Gutiérrez's photographs, these landscapes are subverted as what once appeared as landmarks or symbols of solidity (the sculptures) have been replaced by forms that might resemble small mounds of garbage. In Gutiérrez's narrative, these relatively amorphous mounds serve as shelters, the "safe spaces”, for hordes of nomadic adolescents who traverse the vast urban sprawl, temporarily inhabiting these pliable and movable spaces that now occupy the locations once filled by solid concrete sculptures.

In Gutiérrez's exhibition, the three series converge to create a cohesive narrative that explores fictional modes of sociability. Through the absence of individual characterization, the dialogical form of language, and the transformation of familiar landmarks into amorphous refuges, Gutiérrez invites viewers to reflect on the nature of human connections and the construction of safe spaces within the imagination. His works offer an intricate exploration of sociocultural dynamics, challenging conventional expectations and opening up possibilities for speculative narratives that transcend individual works.

— Fundación Marso