On February 8 in Mexico City, Salón ACME, founded by Archipiélago and Base Proyectos, debuts its vibrant 11th edition at Proyectos Públicos through February 11. During Mexico City Art Week, Director and Curator Ana Castella ushers in a powerful new era for the fair with esteemed guests representing renowned institutions including the Palais de Tokyo, Reina Sofía Museum, La Becque Residences, the Pompidou Center, and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Bordeaux.
Photo by Alum Gálvez, courtesy of Salón ACME.
Six Dynamic Sections and a Robust Program of Initiatives Unfold at Salón ACME No. 11
Six comprehensive sections comprise this year’s much-anticipated show: Open call, State, Bodega, Projects, Patio, and Sala—providing emerging visionaries with a singular platform to acquaint themselves with the international art community. In addition, a robust program including nuanced conversations, residencies, prizes, and international visitor initiatives spark an engrossing Salón ACME No. 11.
“This edition is particularly special, as the project enters its second decade and we are at a point of transformation and growth,” said Castella. “My focus as director has focused on giving more space and clarity to each section, strengthening and expanding collaborations as well as building stronger relationships with the venue where it’s held: Proyectos Públicos. I am thrilled to lead this project and contribute to the different possibilities of the artistic landscape from Mexico City. “
Photo by Alum Gálvez, courtesy of Salón ACME.
Open Call Embraces 82 Skilled Artists in Mexico City
The primary section of the fair, Open Call, embraces the work of 82 skilled artists that were meticulously selected by a board of curators from 1,800 diverse submissions. This year’s team includes Anaïs Lepage, Darío Escobar, Alex Romero, Pati Hertling, Santi Villanueva, and Benedicta Badía. Championing artists from a mosaic of nationalities, backgrounds, and ages, artists included in Salón ACME No. 11 include Azul Ehrenberg & Victoria Martínez, Camila Lamarca, Alejandro Luperca Morales, Omar Mendoza, Humberto Ramírez, Carmen Serratos Chavarría, Evelyn Tovar Toro, and Jonathan Vásquez.
Photo by Alum Gálvez, courtesy of Salón ACME.
State Shines Light on Nuevo León and Bodega Offers a Night Garden
Curated by Abril Zales, State shines a light on Nuevo León. Titled “The horizon is not a straight line,” this iteration is inspired by artworks that reflect the sculptural and multi-faceted landscape which surrounds us, deftly expressed by artists such as Calixto Ramírez, Inés Bárcena, Sandra Leal, Paula Cortazar, Gina Arizpe, Tercerunquinto, and Alejandro Zertuche.
Under the theme of “Night Garden,” the Bodega section immerses visitors in the fairy tale of an evening stroll through mother nature. Curated by guadalajara 90210, six cubes act as abstract markers within the space, revealing exquisite pieces by creatives like Anuar Maauad, Mariana Garibay Raeke, Guadalupe Salgado, Hernán Gonzalez, and Celestial Briseda.
Photo by Alum Gálvez, courtesy of Salón ACME.
Projects Proposes How To Work Better and Patio Invites Jerónimo Reyes Retana
“How to work better,” curated by Castella, breathes new life into the fair’s Projects category, offering 27 rooms with debuts from galleries representing Mexico, Colombia, Canada, Spain, and Argentina. Energized by Fischli Weiss’s 1991 work How To Work Better, this exploration delves into the swiftly evolving 21st century, displaying investigations by Ezequiel Black x Rosas Ek Balam, Raul Robledo x Daniela Elbahara Gallery, Liza Zaldivar x Koik Contemporary, and Lola Goldstein x Maria Casado Home Gallery.
Patio invites Jerónimo Reyes Retana to the program with A Fountain (different dissents), a thought-provoking work that places the world’s ecological concerns into troubled waters, highlighting miscommunications between the US and Mexico. “Delusional Matters” is at the heart of the Sala category, uniting posters, books, and independent publications that focus on critical and soulful investigations of the diverse voices heard across North America.
Photo by Alum Gálvez, courtesy of Salón ACME.
Encounters Highlights Dialogues Beside The International Visitors Program
The fair’s latest edition includes Encounters with six dialogue tables in the ACME Hall No. 11. Led by a team of cultural agents, stirring conversations unfold, including “Convocatoria: May you live in interesting times: concerns and searches of artists today” and “Sala: The word is a collective gesture.” The International Visitors Program brings Salón ACME and Material Art Fair together to introduce global leaders to the bold art scene in Mexico City, with guests including Vivian Crockett, Curator of the New Museum, and Co-Curator of the 2026 New Museum Triennial, New York; and Emmanuelle Hamon, Head of the Collections Department of Les Abattoirs Museum, Toulouse.
Photo by Alum Gálvez, courtesy of Salón ACME.
Artist Prizes and Performances Champion Salón ACME No. 11
Returning this year, HANGAR-Centro de Investigação Artística will select the creative recipient of the Salón Prize, which culminates in a one-month-long residency in Lisbon this fall. The new Cobertizo Prize provides two artist residencies in Mexico. The fair’s Musical Program toasts the cultural initiatives of CDMX with a performance by El Micky on February 9 and hosts a poetic celebration on February 10 of the artistry of Nuevo León.
