Hot to Cold | Cold to Hot

In conjunction with celebrations marking the Bicentennial of Mexican Independence and the Centennial of the Mexican Revolution, the Charles H. Scott Gallery is pleased to present the exhibition Hot to Cold | Cold to Hot, an exhibition of contemporary Mexican artists.

The exhibition features the work of Los Angeles-based Rubén Ortiz Torres, and Mexico City-based artists Thomas Glassford, Melanie Smith, and Gabriel de la Mora. The work of these internationally recognized artists addresses concerns of the everyday, popular culture, urbanism, and the body. Although abstract and minimalist in nature the works reference complex issues of Mexican identity, place, and culture.

Rubén Ortiz Torres employs materials and methods usually associated with low-rider culture for his paintings and sculptures. In his recent work Museum Bench Ortiz Torres uses heat sensitive paint that responds to body temperature by changing colour. Thomas Glassford’s Stela 1K, is a tower made up of 850 broomsticks salvaged from the streets of Mexico City, their surfaces imbued with a residue of human touch and labour. Gabriel de la Mora’s minimalist drawings and constructions use human hair to subtly reference the body and identity. Melanie Smith’s Parres Trilogy is a series of three 35mm films that speak to issues of urban development, migration, and place as represented by the small village of Parres.