Do not miss the 'Joel Rendon: Mexican Master Engraver' exhibition if you are in Delhi now

Titled 'Joel Rendon: Mexican Master Engraver', the exhibition highlights the artist's experimentation with longstanding Mexican tradition of relief print, contemporary techniques and motives linked to the cultural heritage of the country..

Mexico has the oldest printmaking tradition in Latin America.

The first presses were established there in the 16th century mainly to print devotional images for religious institutions.

With the introduction of lithography to Mexico in the 19th century, printmaking and publishing greatly expanded, and artists became recognized for the character of their work.

Along politically oriented artworks, other artists also made many prints involving Mexican heritage, customs, and daily life.

This aspect of printmaking in Mexico has not received much attention from scholars because of the dominant narrative around prints and the Mexican Revolution.

Joel Rendón who calls himself an engraving activist, works to create a dialogue between art and the people.

One of his focus areas has been to generate a movement to revalue engraving in Mexico and abroad, by opening spaces to promote print-making among younger generations through audio-visual media, graphic design, murals and television programs.

His popular iconography draws from the best of the printmaking tradition of Mexico and elements of the contemporary era.

The exhibition showcases his print work using various traditional and contemporary techniques in black and white, as well as in colour.

Along with the traditional motifs shown such as snakes, skulls, rituals and gods and goddesses from Mexican history, you will find explanations of those prints.

Highlighting the presentation of a whole spectrum of techniques that includes support of marble, volcanic rocks, aluminum foil, and glasses, Santiago Ruy, Head of Cultural Affairs at the Embassy of Mexico in India said, “In Mexico, we are interested in adding to the pleasure of contemplating the pleasure of understanding them. The exhibition shows at the same time, the most innovative and sophisticated printmaking in Mexico and a reinterpretation of emblematic and imaginary representations of our history.”

Mexican tradition honors the cycle of life and death – the symbols such as the snake and skull are testimonies to their profound insight into such complex concepts.

There are few motifs in Mexican art that are as charged with meaning as the snake.

It is associated with life and death, earth and water, the world and the underworld.

The symbolism of snake in Mexican mythology is a timeless message of impermanence.

Indigenous Mexican art also celebrates the skeleton and uses it as a regular motif.

The skull is a representation of impermanence, transition, and freedom.

The exhibition is on display until July 2 (daily, 11am to 7pm) at the Art Gallery, India International Centre Annexe.

About Joel Rendon:
Joel Rendón was born in 1967 in Puebla, Mexico. He graduated in Bachelor and Master of Visual Arts from the National School of Plastic Arts, UNAM. Originally from Izúcar de Matamoros, Puebla, he studied at the National School of Plastic Arts of the UNAM.

He participated in the Mexican Talking Workshop in Chicago.

In 1993, he obtained honorable mention in the III Latin American Engraving Contest "La Joven Estampa" in Havana, Cuba and in the II National Biennial "José Clemente Orozco", in Guadalajara, Mexico.

In 1994, he obtained a grant as artist-in-residents by the Art Institute of Chicago.

In 1995, he received the first place in the III National Engraving Contest "José Guadalupe Posada" in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

In 1997, he was an artist-in-residence at the Banff Center Parador the Arts in Alberta, Canada.

In 2000, he was founded the Estampa al minuto workshop, a live engraving project, from which came capsules that were broadcast on the national television Channel - Once.

In 2006, he won two Gold and Silver Promax awards in New York City for a television campaign on Dia de Muertos (day of the dead).

He has participated in several collective and individual exhibitions in eight countries