MEXICO CITY.- BE-LONGING. An Exhibition of the Mercedes-Benz Art Collection in Mexico City brings together selected works from the Mercedes-Benz Art Collection and contemporary artists living and working in Mexico. The exhibition explores the theme of identity, a subject deeply embedded in contemporary artistic discourse and continuously negotiated within society at large. The works by 32 international artists illustrate not only the relevance and complexity of the chosen topic, but also its potential to promote individual and collective resilience.
The exhibited works deal with identity-forming aspects such as bodies, origins, memories, geographies and vocations. These thematic strands allow for multiple interpretations and perspectives on identity emphasizing the concepts of fluidity, dialogue, and the interplay between different points of view. Visitors are invited to contribute their own experiences and associations to this dialogue, making a space for exchange, reflection and critical engagement with the evolving nature of identity in contemporary society. The exhibition’s scenography is designed by the esteemed Mexico City-based architectural studio C Cúbica, which has developed a modular and adaptable display tailored to the concept of the exhibition. This adaptive design reinforces the exhibition’s emphasis on interconnectedness and multiplicity.
The show marks the launch of a new series of dialogue-driven, international exhibitions of the Mercedes-Benz Art Collection designed to engage with local artistic practices. Through a dynamic and modular approach, this initiative aims to reach a broad international audience while fostering collaborations between Mercedes-Benz employees, different communities as well as diverse artistic networks in key international locations—Mexico City being the first.
BE-LONGING is realized together with Mercedes-Benz Mexico, which has a longstanding relationship with the local cultural sphere. This cooperation reinforces the company’s commitment to the arts as part of its broader social engagement.
Artists: Emma Adler, Jane Alexander, Farah Al Qasimi, Francis Alÿs, Leonor Antunes, Pia Camil, Nicole Chaput, Clément Cogitore, Cao Fei, David Goldblatt, Wu Hao, Isaac Julien, Alicja Kwade, Enrique López Llamas, Robert Mapplethorpe, Jorge Méndez Blake, Zanele Muholi, Ann-Kathrin Müller, Berenice Olmedo, Annu Palakunnathu Matthew, Chantal Peñalosa Fong, Elodie Pong, Naomi Rincón Gallardo, Bárbara Sánchez-Kane, Lerato Shadi, Dayanita Singh, Pamela Singh, Buhlebezwe Siwani, Martin Soto Climent, Tercerunquinto, Frieda Toranzo Jaeger, Theresa Weber
Curated by Polina Stroganova for the Mercedes-Benz Art Collection.
The Mercedes-Benz Art Collection was founded in 1977 and is now one of the important European corporate collections of museum quality and international reputation. The collection includes around 3,000 works by more than 800 artists, presenting famous artists such as Cao Fei, Alicja Kwade, Charlotte Posenenske, Oskar Schlemmer, Franz Erhard Walther or Andy Warhol. The art collection focuses on abstract-constructive pictorial concepts and critical-engaged art, as well as representative works and commissions on themes such as automobility, design and construction. It embodies Mercedes-Benz’ broad social commitment to culture and education. With exhibitions of the artworks within the company and in museums, the Mercedes-Benz Art Collection makes it possible for a broad public to experience the collection. It attaches great importance to the acquisition of contemporary art and is strongly committed to diversity.
