Hèctor Vargas-Salazar

I was born in 1986 in Mexico City and in 2005 I started my specialization in graphic art and engraving without abandoning drawing and painting, having the work of José Luis Cuevas as my main reference: a world-famous Mexican artist, protagonist of "the break" (La Ruptura) with Mexican muralism and main representative of neo-figuration.
My other references are Markus Lüpertz, Georg Baselitz, but also the masters of Arte Povera. Cinema plays special suggestions for me, especially in the films of David Cronenberg and Luis Buñuel. Also literature, where I regard Samuel Beckett as my main influenece.
Already from these few lines it is clear that my main means of expression is The Graphic, sometimes sophisticated, sometimes very raw (pun intended), with visually shocking, not necessarily realistic references.
My figures are born from the unconscious and belong to all of us: the visual violence of my images responds to the violence of our society. I believe that the struggle and the clash belong to us in an ancestral way and I feel that my 21st century masculinity is still deeply linked to that of my ancestors, when everyone fought to defend their family and to conquer food. Even if our present society is more comfortable, we are not very different from our predecessors of prehistory and the basic human drives are always the same. In this daily battle everyone fights as one can: my weapons are pencils and brushes to represent those monsters that we have hidden at the bottom of our soul, but which are always present.

CV

Selection

Joins the Taller de Gráfica Popular (2005-2019). Solo show Universidad Iberoamericana Mexico City (2008). Art Basel 40; Hot Art Fair, Basel, Switzerland (2009). Solo show "Dies Irae" ARTR Tráfico de Arte Gallery, Mexico City (2010). Arte Vivo; group exhibition, Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico City (2010-2016). Lectures at the Tel Aviv Art Museum, Israel and the Mexican Museum of San Francisco (2013). Collective exhibition, CEDINCI Buenos Aires, Argentina and individual exhibition at the Mexican Consulate, San José California (2014). Enters the collection of the Mexican Museum of San Francisco California (2014). Individual exhibition "A-isla-miento", CPAPD, Havana, Cuba and participation in the XII Havana Bienale with the exhibitions "Kid Chocolate" and "El Tigre de Malfica" (2015). Participation in the Bienal del Sur and lecture at the Carlos Cruz Diez Graphic Museum, Caracas, Venezuela (2015). Individual exhibition "GUAPO", Havana Kunsthandel, Copenhagen, Denmark; artist in residence Grafiska Verkstaden, Vulcanön, Tidaholm, Sweden; takes a masterclass with William Kentridge at Columbia University, New York (2016). Individual exhibition "Bismarck", The Ballery, Berlin, Germany (2017). Two individual exhibitions in the CPAPD Havana, Cuba: "Vampiros en La Habana" (drawing) and "Violencia Faisán" (painting) (2018). Collective exhibition "Earth Body", Geological Museum UNAM, Mexico City; begins studying Art, Philosophy and Critical Thinking at the European Graduate School, Venice Bienale and Saas Fee, Switzerland (2019). Joins The Telos Society project and publishes the short story "There are no tigers left", Athens, Greece; becomes artistic advisor at the Ponce Kurczyn Collection (2020). Group exhibition "Neonarrativas" Millenial Art México (2021). Masterclass with Wangechi Mutu, Shrem Museum, University of California, Davis; group exhibition "ART and Revolutions", Hyde Collection Museum, Glens Falls, New York (2022).

"Dies Irae" ARTR Tráfico de Arte Gallery, Mexico City (2010). Living Art; group exhibition, Museo de Arte Moderna, Mexico City (2010-2016). Lectures at the Museo de Arte de Tel Aviv, Israel and the Mexican Museum of San Francisco (2013). Collective exhibition, CEDINCI Buenos Aires, Argentina and individual exhibition in the Mexican Consulate, San José California (2014). Enter the collection of the Mexican Museum of San Francisco California (2014). Individual exhibition "A-isla-miento", CPAPD, Havana, Cuba and participation in the XII Bienale of Havana with the exhibitions "Kid Chocolate" and "El Tigre de Malfica" (2015). Participation in the Bienal del Sur and lesson at the Carlos Cruz Diez Graphic Museum, Caracas, Venezuela (2015). Individual exhibition "GUAPO", Havana Kunsthandel, Copenhagen, Denmark; receding artist Grafiska Verkstaden, Vulcanön, Tidaholm, Sweden; takes a masterclass with William Kentridge, Columbia University, New York (2016). Individual exhibition "Bismarck", The Ballery, Berlin, Germany (2017). Two individual exhibitions in the CPAPD Havana, Cuba: "Vampiros en La Habana" (drawing) and "Violencia Faisán" (painting) (2018). Collective exhibition "Earth Body" UNAM Geological Museum, Mexico City; begins studying Art, Philosophy and Critical Thinking at the European Graduate School, Bienale of Venice and Saas Fee, Switzerland (2019). Joins The Telos Society project and publishes the short story "There are no tigers left", Athens, Greece; becomes artistic councilor in the Ponce Kurczyn Collection (2020). Group exhibitions "Neonarrativas" Millenial Art México (2021). Masterclass with Wangechi Mutu, Shrem Museum, University of California, Davis; group exhibition "ART and Revolutions", Hyde Collection Museum, Glens Falls, New York (2022).