Apr. 12, 2024 @ 5:00 pm – Aug. 24, 2024 @ 5:00 pm
About
April 12, 2024 – August 24, 2024
If you find yourself walking through the streets of Mexico, you will inevitably encounter a changarrito, a food cart, or locally run shop. Changarritos, enticing with the smell of antojitos, the persistent beckoning of vendors, or sheer curiosity, are difficult to ignore. These carts exist freely, usually outside of the controls, supervision, or instruction of formal institutions. More than just a business, changarritos are an integral part of Mexican culture, communities, and families.
In 2005, artist Máximo González initiated a Changarrito cart as a possible platform for artists to present their art to the people without having to be accepted by traditional art spaces or official curatorship, blurring the boundaries between established galleries and tianguis (informal street markets). Changarrito offers opportunities to artists and those interested in purchasing art; either to collect, use, or give away to a loved one. More so, the program creates the possibility to develop art as an encuentro: a moment of connection between the artists and the public, a moment that is profoundly personal and collective.
From its inception in Mexico City, the Changarrito has appeared in twenty-two cities, brought to Austin by Leslie Moody Castro and became active at the Mexic-Arte Museum in 2012. Since the program’s implementation, dozens of artists have used it to display their art and interact with the public on 5th Street and Congress Avenue. In 2020, with the rise of Covid, the Changarrito residency introduced a digital component called changarreando. Now, more people than ever can learn about and engage with the monthly Changarrito resident artists thanks to the Changarrito art cart residency, which has resumed its in-person component while continuing with its digital feature.
Installation Images
Photos by Chris Caselli
Audio collected on the streets of México
Commissioned by the Mexic-Arte Museum
Essays About Changarrito
View the exhibition online
CultureConnect is a mobile tool that Mexic-Arte Museum is utilizing to make exhibitions and artwork accessible to the community. Through CultureConnect, Mexic-Arte Museum can present curated information about the artwork and give the viewer a chance to explore the artist and artwork in depth!
This exhibit includes images of the artworks, label text, and essays from professionals and artists.
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