The first furniture design by Mexican architect Michel Rojkind and a machine that uses AI to generate unique Mexican furniture were on display during Mexico City art week.
The activities cluster around Zona Maco, an art fair that took place from 7 to 11 February in Mexico City, and around which many other galleries and institutions present exhibitions.
Though the week is geared towards fine art, even the bigger fairs such as Zona Maco and Material Art Fair, which take place during the same time, include full sections dedicated to innovative design.
Many of the exhibitions took unique approaches to the installations, using Mexico City's infrastructure, from old gymnasiums to office towers, as backdrops for the exhibitions.
Read on for 11 design exhibitions and installations from Mexico City art week 2024:
Unique Design X Mexico at Material Fair
The first Mexico stop for roving design fair Design X took place on the grounds of the Material Art Fair in downtown Mexico City. It featured public exhibitions including an outdoor skatepark designed by artist Stefan Brüggemann, an indoor lobby area resembling an airport gate, and 18 installations by designers and galleries.
The booths included a selection of works by local designer Manu Bañó and an arrangement of pieces from Belgian design collective Zaventem Ateliers, which had to recreate the work shown in cardboard after its works were stalled in custom.
Mexican industrial designer CS Nuñez showed a collection of pieces made from biomaterials for Unno, a gallery for Latin American design.
Omet at Maison Diez Company
Mexican design collective Omet, which recently opened a showroom in Austin, Texas, showcased a variety of works at the headquarters of Maison Diez Company, a lighting studio that puts on exhibitions in an early 20th-century gymnasium.
Pieces in the collection, Omet's second, included the first chair designed by Mexican architect Rojkind – a stretched piece of cowhide with a metal base that was shaped following the contours of the skin. Also included were designs for a collection by architect Tatiana Bilbao alongside completed works by Daniel Germani, Raul de la Cerda and Omet founder Lorena Vieyra.
Once-nomadic design showcase Masa held a collaborative exhibition with the art gallery Luhring Augustine within its renovated 20th-century house-cum-showroom in the city. The exhibition featured Masa's more permanent collections alongside new works and fine art pieces from the art gallery, displayed mostly on the walls.
New works included a chair by designer Brian Thoreen made from thousands of pieces of paper, as well as a collection of terracotta light pieces by designer Héctor Zamora.
Find out more about the exhibition here ›
Kouros x Ayanegui at Hamburgo 14
New York designer Kouros Maghsoudi showcased his new Hug Bed alongside fashion pieces by Mexico City-based label Ayanegui. The installation took place at the austere Hamburgo 14, a multi-functional gallery space and showroom with concrete walls and floors.
The Hug Bed comprised a black fibreglass frame with a mattress sunk into it. The designers said that the two bodies of work in tandem were meant to showcase an ideal of "wet luxury", referring to the glossy finishes on both the fashion and design pieces that represent both hedonism and "fluid identity".
Sociedad Volcánica by Studio David Pompa
Lighting design outfit Studio David Pompa completely transformed its showroom in the city's Roma neighbourhood, filling the floor with gravel to highlight the importance of volcanic activity in the region.
Alongside the stones, the studio placed several green-painted shelves to resemble a laboratory, referencing its own "research-based" approach. In this setting, a new collection of minimalist lighting called Ambra was shown, which includes deconstructible pieces made of volcanic stone and aluminium.
Amuletos by Agnes Studio at AGO Projects
Guatemala-based Agnes Studio held its first exhibition showcasing its second collection of furniture at the headquarters of collectible design gallery Ago Projects in the city's core. The exhibition included furniture alongside more conceptual pieces, such as videos where completed works were placed among the landscapes and communities that informed them.
Looking at the material and folk traditions of Guatemala, Agnes Studio created a collection that included chairs, tables and sofas with playful forms and bright colours. Many of the pieces were outfitted with small amulets or charms gathered from the markets of Guatemala.
Torre de Babel at Ángulo Cero
Ángulo Cero, a design gallery based in a mid-century home in the city's Lomas neighbourhood, showcased a group of Mexican designers working under a similar set of themes, which included "ancient techniques revitalized by experimentation".
Among the works was a set of gold-painted cabinets by the Guadalajara-based design studio Peca Estudio. Also shown was a collection of rugs by Balmaceda Studio, which often collaborates with Ángulo Cero, as well as lamps with woven-reed elements by local studio Ad Hoc.
Anyone Can Be A Mexican Designer by Panorámica at Zona Maco
Located in the dedicated design section at the Zona Maco art fair, Anyone Can Be a Mexican Designer by art collective Panorámica comprised a large-white box influenced by mid-century design with a screen behind it.
The machine allowed users to answer a series of questions related to Mexican design history, such as a choice of typology, time period, and level of decoration. The machine then used AI processes to create a unique piece of furniture, based on a repository of images, that was displayed on the screen.
Find out more about Anyone Can Be A Mexican Designer here ›
The Beauty of Objects at Territorio Gallery
Located at Territorio Gallery, underneath the offices of architecture studio C Cúbica, which organises the city's design week in October, this exhibition showcased small-scale items that focused on local material and craft techniques.
The goal of the exhibition was to present smaller format works in a way that showcased the breadth of design, while creating an accessible platform for early and mid-stage designers to showcase works. Among the most impressive pieces was a table created by local designer Oscar Centeno that took ceramic elements for C Cúbica projects that were slightly imperfect and turned them into a series of coffee tables.
Banana Blue by Bolsón at Mooni
Guadalajara-based designer Norberto Miranda, who works under the moniker Bolsón, outfitted the facade and interiors of the Condesa art gallery Mooni with upcycled plastic gathered from banana plantations.
The work was meant to showcase the potential for reused plastic and to create a playful complement to the art already on show. Miranda also showcased a series of stools and sculptures made from plastic gathered locally, which were created using only heat and manual pressure.
Find out more about Banana Blue here ›
In Praise of Shadows by Gallerie Philia
Named after Junichiro Tanizaki's book of the same name, this exhibition presented an immersive experience. Design works were arranged in a concrete room with floor-to-ceiling windows and accompanied by a curated sound program and performances.
Works included a votive sculpture and metal-clad chair by local studio Panorammma and sculptor Andres Monnier. Candles as well as expressive lighting by Paola José of local lighting firm Sombra created the shadows that gave the exhibition its name. José also produced the lighting for the performances that took place in the space, which were produced in concert with Galerie Philia and production studio HADA X HOK.
Mexico City art week took place in Mexico City on February 7 to 11. For more international exhibitions, talks and fairs in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.