Emerging artists will have the opportunity to exhibit their work alongside that of established figures during the Summer Exhibition at Lux Perpetua Gallery in Mérida. The exhibition opens today (June 15) at 8:00 p.m. at the gallery's Itzimná location. Admission is free.
In an interview, Mimí Cervera Villamil, coordinator of the Lux project—which encompasses Lux Perpetua Gallery, Casa Lool Printmaking and Graphic Arts Workshop, and the Casa Flamboyanes Artist Residency—shared details about the group exhibition.
According to Cervera, the exhibition is modeled after the Summer Exhibition organized by London's Royal Academy of Arts, an annual event that has been held since 1769 with the aim of bringing together emerging and established artists in a single venue.
Lux Perpetua has hosted its own version of the exhibition for the past two years. This second edition brings together the work of 78 artists: 40 from Yucatán, 30 from elsewhere in Mexico, and eight international participants, for a total of approximately 210 works on display throughout the gallery.
"There are emerging artists with little or no exhibition history, alongside well-established artists with extensive careers and impressive résumés," Cervera noted.
She emphasized that exhibiting alongside recognized masters can serve as a valuable springboard for younger artists, who often struggle to secure exhibition opportunities because they lack an established track record.
"It's a fascinating exhibition. Visitors will find every kind of work: printmaking, oil painting, acrylic painting, photography, digital art, sculpture, installations, drawing, and many other forms of visual art," she explained.
The exhibition offers audiences the opportunity to experience the work of a large and diverse group of artists within a single space. To achieve this, Cervera said, the gallery issued an open and inclusive call inviting any artist interested in sharing their work to apply.
"Artists were asked to submit a minimum of one piece and a maximum of three. The works then went through a curatorial review process before the final selection was made."
Among the emerging artists participating in the Summer Exhibition are painter Andrea Pasos, photographer Esteban Dupinet, multidisciplinary artist Sebastián Dávila, and Germán Vargas, a student at the Universidad de las Artes de Yucatán (UNAY).
The exhibition also includes works by established artists such as Esmeralda Torres, Saúl Villa, Stefanie Schikora, Paloma Menéndez, Lizette Abraham, William Gaber, Joao Rodríguez, Emilio Said, José Luis Ramírez, and Miguel Castro Leñero.
Also featured is internationally recognized artist Barry Wolfryd, whose practice encompasses painting, sculpture, and printmaking. "He is an artist with an extensive career who currently has a solo exhibition at the Museo Arocena in Coahuila".
The Summer Exhibition opens today, Thursday, June 15, at 8:00 p.m. and will remain on view for three months. The exhibition can be visited Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Lux Perpetua Gallery.
