WHAT: Mexican artist Pedro Reyes explores social activism & nuclear power through sculpture in a new solo exhibition
WHEN: Opening Celebration: Friday, February 3, 2023, 5:00 – 9:00 PM
DIRECT ACTION opens Friday, February 3, 2023, from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. with a musical performance at 7:00 pm by East L.A.’s psychedelic cumbia-punk ensemble, Tropa Magica.
A full schedule of public programs (such as pop-up concerts, tree plantings, and artist/panel talks) will take place throughout the run of the exhibition.
human race, and how we define responsibility, respect, and freedom through
Reyes’ social approach to art.” – curator, Brandee Caoba
DESCRIPTION
(Santa Fe, NM, December 14, 2022) – SITE Santa Fe presents DIRECT ACTION, a new solo exhibition by Pedro Reyes, from February 3 through May 8, 2023. Nodding at forms of protest in which individuals use their own power to achieve political and social aims rather than appealing to authorities, this expansive exhibition explores art-as-activism through a selection of sculptures, prints, performance, and a newly commissioned video work.
Pedro Reyes is celebrated for his large-scale immersive sculptural projects addressing current social and political issues. Over the course of his career, Reyes has developed and designed projects that propose playful solutions to social problems through a variety of media and an open invitation for community engagement. The history of architecture and craft, as well as the intersection of art and political action, are recurring themes of his work.
“Sculpture is about changing the shape of a material, and in social sculpture, the materials are the ideas and relationships of a community. The show is called DIRECT ACTION because it is a participatory process, and the subject of disarmament across the exhibition inevitably leads to the history of nuclear warfare and uranium mining, which has been a constant struggle in the history of New Mexico,” says artist Pedro Reyes.
DIRECT ACTION is curated by Brandee Caoba.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Pedro Reyes (Mexico City, 1972) studied architecture but considers himself a sculptor. His works integrate elements of theater, psychology, and activism and take a variety of forms, including penetrable sculptures as well as puppet productions. He is the recipient of the U.S. State Department Medal for the Arts, a Ford Foundation Fellow, and was commissioned by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists together with ICAN, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, winners of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, to raise awareness of the growing risk of nuclear conflict.
CONTACT
Carolina Franco | Manager of External Affairs
SITE Santa Fe 1606 Paseo de Peralta | Santa Fe, NM 87501 | 505.989.1199 x 12 | sitesantafe.org
