In 1997 the Museum of Contemporary Art of Monterrey introduced the public of northern Mexico to the work of Jose Bedia with “Crónicas Americanas”, a series product of the influence of the ancient cultures of the continent.
Now, a quarter of a century later, the cuban artist come back with hindsight “Circle Trip” made up of 102 pieces that cover almost five decades of experience and commitment to eliminate the stigmas of the West in the face of indigenous communities of the world.
“I think that all artists have a kind of constant returnIt is the same search point but on another level. One moves in circles around the same idea and in this case for me it is a journey. In addition to the fact that these are important to me, especially investigative trips, so it’s like going back to the same place again and always find something new”, explained the artist about the title of the exhibition –which opens this weekend–, in an interview with VANGUARDIA.
Bedia’s work is characterized by establishing linksnot only on a plastic level, but also on a human level, with different indigenous communities, motivated by the Western perspective that they are “cultures that stayed in the past.”
“I am very interested in putting the active past in the present and reconceptualizing the ideas of the archetypes that are current and that are part of our traditions, not only in Mexico, but in general. I recreate them giving them an active and present value. There is a belief that these things are in the past and have no function, and I disagree, I think that those cultural values they are active and are part of our heritage and define us as what we are,” he said.
In our country in particular, he has lived with communities Wirrárikas, Yaquis and Coras, among many others. His field practice, he stresses, isn’t limited to a one-time visit either; he commits himself to those families, he establishes important ties and from there he creates his art.
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“Mexico is one of my favorite places to do this. I lived here in the late 1980s and early 1990s and have always been interested in learning about the indigenous communities, I know many families, some I met with their young children and now they are married men. That type of evolution in the same community interests me, and how traditions are maintained or transformed, how there are things that disappear and others that are new, ”he shared.
For this very reason the body of his work is diverse. While there are unifying elements, in general the motifs and style are defined by the culture with which you are most in contact at the time.
And to account for these influences, the sample includes 22 pieces belonging to the ethnographic collection of Bedia.
“They are very creative in indigenous communities. people think they are stagnantand of course they respond to a tradition, but they have a great capacity to assimilate new elements and to interpret them in their own way and benefit”, the artist pointed out, “I try to influence myself from these cultural elements, but also from philosophy and the religious thought of these people and communities”.
