A COMIC STORY OF A MEXICAN SOCIETY AT THE NETHERLANDS
Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, will present on March 15 the exhibition Vultures & Fireflies by Alejandro Galván; this is a painted chronicle of Mexico from the perspective of one of the largest working-class suburbs.
It was at the end of November 2024 that the artist commenced his project. Galván resides in Nezahualcóyotl, at the outskirts of Mexico City, a place in which political neglect and violence have configured the social panorama. His often highly detailed paintings blend realism with mythology, narrating his experiences growing up in this environment, and depicting the corruption of the Mexican state and police. His influences are drawn from comic books, television and heavy metal, sources that set him apart from the prevailing, more minimalist and conceptual style in Mexican contemporary art.
His storytelling introduces visitors to a hyper-detailed image of his barrio Nezahualcóyotl, blending materials from a range of sources, including tabloid news, comic books, heavy metal music and Mexican folklore. Images from makeshift architecture, kissing couples, gang violence, mariachi bands, burning cars, soap stars and drag queens are overseen by gigantic pre-Columbian mythological figures. The figures seem to redress the balance of gross injustice and widespread corruption in what Galván calls a vivid dream of Mexican society.
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Alejandro Galván. Las Estrellas Me Iluminan al Revés, 2022. Photo: Gert Jan van Rooij. Courtesy of No Man’s Art Gallery
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Alejandro Galván. Work in progress (detail), 2025. Photo: Sanne Peper
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Alejandro Galván. Las Estrellas Me Iluminan al Revés, 2022. Photo: Emmelie Koster. Courtesy of No Man’s Art Gallery
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Alejandro Galván painting in Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, 2025. Photo Rob van Hoorn
Leading up to the grand opening several events will take place where visitors can get a glimpse into the making process. The work will see its completion in June 2025, which will be celebrated with a second opening.
Vultures & Fireflies will be on display from March 13 to August 31, 2025, at Capucijnenstraat 98, 6211 RT Maastricht (The Netherlands).
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