Mäcuïli
- Tezontle stone
- 18.75 x 5.5 x 2.75 in
- Pedro Reyes
PEDRO REYES (b. 1972 Mexico City) has won international attention for large-scale projects that address current social and political issues. Through a varied practice utilizing sculpture, performance, video, and activism, Reyes explores the power of individual and collective organization to incite change through communication, creativity, happiness, and humor.
The titles of the stone carvings, Öme, Mäcuïli are Nahuatl names for the numbers two and four. Pohua means to count in the ancient language of the Valley of Mexico. The continue the artist’s exploration of both modern and ancient sources.
The sculptures are carved directly in a special kind of brown Tezontle stone that goes by the popular name of Meteorite because of its strange metal-like appearance. A recurring material for the artist, the volcanic stone has had an integral role in the shaping of Mexico’s landscape. Within the anthropomorphic statues is a paradox between their modest scale and the monumental feeling they convey. By carving directly into stone Reyes offers a modern vocabulary to sources from ancient art.
The son of a professor who taught advanced engineering drawing, Reyes received informal training from a young age in the technical process of rendering three-dimensional objects. The fluid movement between the creation of drawing and sculpture has long been an essential part of his practice. The works on card highlight the connection between drawing and sculpture that informs Reyes’ work.