Stefan Bruggemann
Jose' Davila
Gonzalo Lebrija
Jorge Mendez Blake
Tercerunquinto
Marina Kurikhina
Works of five Mexican artists of the same generation Each artist explores the frontier between their medium and existing social systems, whether they be linguistic, institutional, or architectural, with a distinct playfulness that underlies them all.
Stefan Brüggemann, José Davila, Gonzalo Lebrija, Jorge Méndez Blake, and Tercerunquinto
Curated by Marina Kurikhina
Misrepresentation, Mistake and Non-Disclosure brings together the works of five Mexican artists of
the same generation - Stefan Brüggemann, José Davila, Gonzalo Lebrija, Jorge Méndez Blake, and
Tercerunquinto - and presents their work together for the first time. The exhibition focuses on the ways
in which the works of these artists interact with one another, and explores the immediate similarities
between their artistic practices. Approaching these works together reveals the parallels between their
uses of visual language, which combines progressive ideologies with sombre topics such as ‘void’, ‘failure’
and ‘dystopia’.
One of these parallels is the critique of existing social and institutional systems. Tercerunquinto’s
Anarchitecture directly addresses the urban environment of Shenzhen & Hong Kong; the construction
of portals from a barrier opens a filtered view of the city’s landscape, commenting on its rapid, recent
transformation. This work references Matta-Clark’s deconstruction of urban spaces, whose influence also
extends to Méndez Blake’s use of architecture as a primary conceptual tool, as well as to the idea of
linguistic entropy suggested by his ongoing Libraries series, which depicts literature as a monument
forgotten in remote, unreachable locations.
Stefan Brüggemann’s practice directly deals with language, using it as a primary tool in his experimentation
with the fluidity of words and structure of meaning. His series of works, Untitled (Joke & Definition
Paintings), each feature a Richard Prince joke from his series Joke Paintings, and a Joseph Kosuth
definition from his series Art as Idea as Idea. The artist uses sentences previously loaded with specific
philosophical and humorous ideas to create new meanings. This form of appropriation is also evident
in Jose Davila’s Homage To The Square, which translates the composition and title of Josef Alber’s
infamous series into a three dimensional form. This playful approach to context and medium can also be
seen in Gonzalo Lebrija’s The Distance Between You And Me, which features a video loop depicting the
artist running away from the audience, suggesting either a total departure from meaning, or an enticing
invitation onto a shared journey.
Each artist explores the frontier between their medium and existing social systems, whether they be
linguistic, institutional, or architectural, with a distinct playfulness that underlies them all.
Misrepresentation, Mistake and Non-Disclosure is supported by Fundación Magnolia; aiming to educate, inform, and encourage a positive view of Mexico abroad.
Rove Gallery
33 - 34 Hoxton Square London N1 6NN
Tuesday - Saturday 11.00 - 18.00