At its core, "El Cuarto de los Ojos Sucios" is not just an exhibition, but an immersive experience meticulously designed to engage both artists and art enthusiasts alike. Organized by art historian, professor, curator, and critic Sandra Sánchez, alongside the painter, professor, and art critic Eric Valencia, this project generates out a unique space that mediates and curates the interactions between artists, their creations, and the viewers. Every session of this project serves as an intimate rencounter with each of the artists , in where a different painter is carefully selected for each session to present a live piece to the audience, leading to a exchange of ideas and interpretations.
“El Cuarto de los Ojos Sucios'' was born in 2015 with the aim of breaking the taboo that painting was a minor and nationalist medium compared to contemporary art associated locally with more diverse conceptual movements. Since its inception, the project has held 28 sessions in independent spaces such as Zona de Desgaste, LADRÓNgalería, and Biquini Wax, as well as galleries including Proyectos Monclova, Galería Sismo, El Cuarto de Máquinas, and joségarcía ,mx. It has also engaged with non-profit art organizations like the Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo, ESPAC.
With a passion for collaborative writing and boundary-pushing art Sandra Sánchez founded Zona de Desgaste in 2015—a platform dedicated to critical discourse on contemporary aesthetics. Her influential role extends to co-curating projects like "Escrituras en presente continuo. Maaa Mo Mí Me Muu" at Museo Cabañas. Sandra directs Aeromoto Biblioteca and edits OndaMx magazine while also teaching at the Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana.
Eric Valencia solo showcases encompass impactful exhibitions like "Aun a riesgo de desencadenar una revuelta" at Casa Seminario (2021), and "Y luego vuelve al revés" at Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Hidalgo MACH (2021). He's been recipient of a grant by the Fondo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes (FONCA) and has contributed to enriching the art scene as a co-director of "El Cuarto de los Ojos Sucios" since 2015.
“Let's gather around a painting as we would around a fire. A room, a piece, an artist. What does the warmth of its existence evoke in our imagination? Let's talk about that, about what exists and what lays the foundation: the idea behind the idea is the substance, the substance behind the substance is the idea. Let's discuss the thought inhabiting the artwork, inhabiting the world.”
Sandra Sánchez, co-founder of El Cuarto de los Ojos Sucios.
Each session unfolds in four distinct stages. First, viewers spend 20 minutes absorbing and contemplating the painting. Second, the artist takes half an hour to share their creative process and delve into the artistic and societal issues their work explores. In the third phase, the curators initiate a conversation based on four pre-prepared questions: two directed at the artist and two at the audience.
The fourth phase is an open discussion with the audience, spanning between forty minutes and an hour and a half.
These sessions last between two and a half to three hours and are documented through text and video, forming an accessible archive. Additionally, video recordings of each session will be available on the "El Cuarto de los Ojos Sucios" YouTube channel
At its core, "El Cuarto de los Ojos Sucios" is not just an exhibition, but an immersive experience meticulously designed to engage both artists and art enthusiasts alike. Spearheaded by art historian, professor, curator, and critic Sandra Sánchez, alongside the painter, professor, and art critic Eric Valencia, this project is carving out a unique space that mediates and curates the interactions between artists, their creations, and the viewers.
Every session of this project serves as an intimate rendezvous with the artists themselves, in where a different painter is carefully selected for each session and granted the platform to present a live piece to an engaged audience, leading to a exchange of ideas and interpretations that creates a communion of artistic intent and audience perception, transcending the conventional boundaries of art appreciation.
“El Cuarto de los Ojos Sucios'' was born in 2015 with the aim of breaking the prevailing taboo that painting was a minor and nationalist medium compared to contemporary art associated locally with various conceptual movements. Since its inception, the project has held 28 sessions in independent spaces such as Zona de Desgaste, LADRÓNgalería, and Biquini Wax, as well as galleries including Proyectos Monclova, Galería Sismo, El Cuarto de Máquinas, and joségarcía ,mx. It has also engaged with non-profit art organizations like the Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo, ESPAC.
Sandra Sánchez is a dynamic force in contemporary art. With a passion for collaborative writing and boundary-pushing art, she founded Zona de Desgaste in 2015—a platform dedicated to critical discourse on contemporary aesthetics. Her influential role extends to co-curating projects like "Escrituras en presente continuo. Maaa Mo Mí Me Muu" at Museo Cabañas. Sandra directs Aeromoto Biblioteca and edits OndaMx magazine while also teaching at the Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana.
Eric Valencia solo showcases encompass impactful exhibitions like "Aun a riesgo de desencadenar una revuelta" at Casa Seminario (2021), and "Y luego vuelve al revés" at Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Hidalgo MACH (2021). He's been recipient of a grant by the Fondo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes (FONCA) and has contributed to enriching the art scene as a co-director of "El Cuarto de los Ojos Sucios" since 2015.
“Let's gather around a painting as we would around a fire. A room, a piece, an artist. What does the warmth of its existence evoke in our imagination? Let's talk about that, about what exists and what lays the foundation: the idea behind the idea is the substance, the substance behind the substance is the idea. Let's discuss the thought inhabiting the artwork, inhabiting the world.”
Sandra Sánchez, co-founder of El Cuarto de los Ojos Sucios.
Each session unfolds in four distinct stages. First, viewers spend 20 minutes absorbing and contemplating the painting. Second, the artist takes half an hour to share their creative process and delve into the artistic and societal issues their work explores. In the third phase, the curators initiate a conversation based on four pre-prepared questions: two directed at the artist and two at the audience. The fourth phase is an open discussion with the audience, spanning between forty minutes and an hour and a half.
These sessions last between two and a half to three hours and are documented through text and video, forming an accessible archive. Additionally, video recordings of each session will be available on the "El Cuarto de los Ojos Sucios" YouTube channel
August 27th - Mariana Paniagua
September 17th - Roger Muñoz
October 15th - Maria Cerdá
November 5th - José Eduardo Barajas
November 19th - Julian Madero
December 10th - Mónica Figueroa
Open Calls for Visual Arts Programs Providing Residencies, Scholarships, and Grants
