La tortillería horizontal           

This site-specific project took over an abandoned storefront and transformed it into a cultural platform exploring corn. The project had iterations at MUCA-Roma (2015) and Casa del Lago (2016).

In collaboration with Andreas Krüger Foncerrada, Maio Alvear, Santiago Marín de Buen, and Haegen Crosby.
Mexico City, Mexico
2015



La tortillería horizontal served as a cultural platform that encouraged the public to make their own tortillas and to engage in community events. We organized lectures, workshops, concerts, and communal meals centered on corn, its cultural significance, and the challenges posed by genetically modified corn in Mexico. Located in Coyoacán, south of Mexico City, the space was open for one month.

 

Inside, a comal and various presses were available, allowing visitors to choose their preferred method of tortilla-making, using masa sourced directly from San Gregorio Atlapulco in Xochimilco. At the tortillería horizontal, visitors could craft their own tortillas and enjoy a free taco with us—this tortilla-making process sparked discussions about the cultural importance of corn. We also provided a library focusing on corn and related topics for visitors to explore relevant materials. Additionally, we organized talks, workshops, and other activities to explore the complex issues surrounding corn from multiple perspectives.


This project was only possible thanks to the Center for Art and Public Life at California College of the Arts, and the anonymous donors whose generosity made the IMPACT Social Entrepreneurship Awards possible.  The award encourages collaborative interdisciplinary teams to develop and actualize a social innovation project.  All projects address a specific need within a local, national, or international community and exemplify interdisciplinary engagement and community collaboration.




Prácticas de campo features eight social initiatives by Mexican artists that explore food production, consumption, and land transformation through human activity. These practices blend natural sciences—such as chemistry, biology, agronomy, and geology—with social sciences like anthropology and geography. They also incorporate artistic methods, including documentary photography, video, performance, installation, and sculpture, alongside cultural aspects like preserving agricultural heritage, eating habits, behaviors, and customs.

These projects highlight, from diverse perspectives, economic, social, and political issues related to food consumption and production. They question whether it is possible to alter our course as a species and achieve a reevaluation of our culture and ancestral resources. They also critically examine our daily habits of consumption and waste, and ultimately promote a mindset of openness and curiosity that enables us to rethink ourselves as potential agents of change.
Prácticas de Campo
(Field Practices)

In collaboration with Tres Art Collective, Germen Estudio, and with the support of the National Museum of Agriculture at the Autonomous University of Chapingo.

October 9, 2016 ➽ February 19, 2017
Casa del Lago UNAM
Mexico City, Mexico






La tortillería horizontal va al MUCA Roma

July 14, 2016 
Museo Universitario de Ciencia y Arte (MUCA Roma)
Mexico City, Mexico


For a one-day workshop, the presses, comal, masa, and the library of the Tortillería Horizontal project traveled to MUCA Roma to celebrate and explore corn: its flavor and cultural significance. 


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