Atrás del ártico se esconde un paraíso

As part of the public program for Behind the Arctic Lies a Paradise, the Museo de Arte de Zapopan invites you to the Study Club: Imaginary Places, led by artist Hiram Constantino and curator Maya Renée Escárcega at the Worshop room of Estación MAZ.

Maps are often understood as technical tools for navigation or as instruments of measurement driven by the desire to dominate the unknown. In this study group, linked to the exhibition Behind the Arctic Lies a Paradise, you will approach cartography as an act of imagination and a way of constructing worldviews.

The session will be divided into two parts. In the first, guided by the exhibition’s curator, you will review specific examples of maps, planetary models, and legendary lands to reflect on the role of myths, legends, and beliefs in their creation. In the second part, artist Hiram Constantino will lead exercises in fantastic geography and fictional representation.

Hiram Constantino is an artist and graduate of the University of Guadalajara. He works across various media, primarily drawing, through which he explores sociopolitical issues at the intersection of historical narratives constructed around culture, sustainability, and possible futures. He has participated in residencies at Casa Taller José Clemente Orozco, Oklahoma Contemporary, and Cobertizo. He has held solo exhibitions at Estudio Hospital, Proyecto Caimán, and Enrique Guerrero, and group shows at the Raúl Anguiano Museum, Sala GAM, and Oklahoma Contemporary. His work has been shown at art fairs such as Salón ACME, MATERIAL, and Zona MACO, and is part of collections including the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo No. 8 and the Isabel and Agustín Coppel Collection. He currently lives in Guadalajara, Jalisco, where he directs the self-managed project Otro Espacio.

Maya Renée Escárcega is a curator and writer. She studied Art History at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. Her practice centers on feminist thought and critical approaches to knowledge production. She has developed individual projects with artists such as Yvette Mayorga (MAZ, 2024), Karian Amaya (Museo de Arte de Ciudad Juárez, 2025; Casa Redonda, 2024), Maximiliano Ruelas (Espacio Cabeza, 2024), and Donna Huanca (MAZ, 2023). Her texts have been published on platforms such as Onda MX. Since 2020, she has worked as an associate curator at the Museo de Arte de Zapopan (MAZ) / EstaciónMAZ, where she has collaborated on over twenty exhibitions and spearheaded educational programs focused on inclusion and diversity.

Free activity - RSVP

— MAZ