OMR: Jorge Méndez Blake

OMR is pleased to present Nos sentamos, escuchamos, discutimos (We sit, we listen, we discuss), the second solo show by Mexican artist Jorge Méndez Blake (Guadalajara, 1974). In the middle of a global pandemic, our society faces two other crises: a democratic and a poetic one. By exploring the amphitheater as the poet's birthplace, Jorge Méndez Blake attempts to represent poetry as the creator of comedy and tragedy of society and, therefore, of democracy. Through this exhibition, the amphitheater is presented as a symbol of the possibility for collective dialogue where we sit, listen, and discuss as a community.

ABOUT JORGE MÉNDEZ BLAKE

Jorge Méndez Blake (b. 1974) lives and works in Guadalajara, Mexico.

From the beginning of his career, Jorge Méndez Blake has explored the possible relations between literature and fine arts, and has developed a large body of work with drawings, sound works, sculptures and videos, always referring to the great masters of universal literature, such as William Shakespeare, Jules Verne, Franz Kafka and Jorge Luis Borges, among many others.

In his work, literature becomes a tool that articulates situations, places and objects where each piece is full of theoretical meanings related to one another. The visual results from a dialogue with literature, and create complex works that provide a specific form that occurs only in the realm of imagination and desire.

Méndez Blake’s work has been exhibited in many museums and galleries, including: MUAC, Mexico City, Mexico; Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver, USA; Marfa Contemporary, San Antonio, USA; Kunsthalle Mulhouse, France; Messen De Clercq, Brussels, Belgium; Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Villa Croce, Genoa, Italy; 1301PE, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Frieze, New York, NY, USA; Travesía Cuatro, Madrid, Spain; Museo Rufino Tamayo, Mexico City, Mexico; Museum of Latin American Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Centro Cultural de España, Lima, Peru; Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Tamaulipas, Matamoros, Mexico; among many others.

His work is held in many permanent collections throughout Mexico, including: Colección Jumex, Mexico City; Colección Televisa, Mexico City; Colección López Rocha, Guadalajara; Colección Coppel, Sinaloa; Colección Suro, Guadalajara; Colección Ashida, Mexico City; Colección Alejandro Gómez, Guadalajara; Colección Enrique Guerrero, Mexico City; Colección Gilberto Charpenel, Guadalajara; Museo Amparo, Puebla. And international collections such as: Deutsche Bank Collection, Germany; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia; Sayago & Pardon Collection, Tustin, USA; Pérez Collection, Miami, USA and Philara Collection, Düsseldorf, Germany.

ABOUT GALERÍA OMR

Galería OMR is a contemporary art gallery located in Mexico City. Founded in 1983 by its principals, Patricia Ortiz Monasterio and Jaime Riestra, the gallery is located in the Roma neighborhood, which is now recognized as the leading art scene area of Mexico City. OMR represents emerging and established contemporary artists. Since its beginning, Galería OMR has been a major influence of the arts in Mexico, showing avant-garde artists that have now become some of the referential points of the Mexican contemporary art scene. Among the fairs in which OMR participates are Zona MACO (Mexico), Art Basel (Switzerland), Art Basel Miami Beach (USA), Frieze London (UK), and the recent inaugural edition of Frieze LA (USA).

JORGE MÉNDEZ BLAKE

Nos sentamos, escuchamos, discutimos (We Sit, We Listen, We Discuss)

NOVEMBER 07 TH - FEBRUARY 14 TH

On the cover: Jorge Méndez Blake, Reconstrucción de anfiteatro (Nos sentamos, escuchamos, discutimos) I / Amphitheater Reconstruction (We Sit, We Listen, We Discuss) I, (2020), Courtesy of the artist and OMR, Mexico City. Photo credit: Ana Quiñonez/Estudio JMB © 2020.