At Mexico City's Material and Salon Acme fairs, artists find hope in nature

""The new venue has allowed us to develop the experience of the fair-it lends itself to being more of a destination," Brett W. Schultz, the co-founder and director of Material, tells The Art Newspaper. The fair features over 70 exhibitors this year, with an especially strong contingent of Mexico City galleries that, like Material, have been around for a little over a decade."

"The Montre9al-based , for instance, has devoted its stand to a solo presentation of works on paper and sculptures by the Sri Lankan Canadian artist Rajni Perera. The works on paper from her Phylogeny series, priced at $16,000, depict animals adapting to increasingly toxic environments, from developing additional eyes and limbs to making use of the trash littering their habitats-touching on legacies of environmental exploitation, colonial control and displacement"

Material and Salf3n Acme attracted large crowds during their VIP previews, with Material reporting its biggest opening-day attendance ever. Material moved to Maravilla Studios, a pricier venue with large outdoor common spaces that helped position the fair as a destination. Salf3n Acme's venue, Proyectos Publicos, reached capacity quickly, causing lines outside. Material features over 70 exhibitors, including many Mexico City galleries around a decade old. About half of participating galleries are from Latin America, with the remainder from North America, Europe and Asia. Montre9al-based presentation showcased Rajni Perera's Phylogeny series addressing environmental and colonial legacies.

Read at The Art Newspaper - International art news and events