“Earthquakes are a naturally destructive effect of our earth's constantly changing surface”
-National Geographic, “Latest Earthquakes–and How Earthquakes Work”, February 2018.
ReConstructo is a group exhibition curated by Mexican architects Luis Carbonell and Andres Souto, presented at Zuecca Project Space in parallel with the International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale 2018. The exhibition offers a multifaceted look at simultaneous and overlapping readings of the actions and agents of destruction that subsequently paved the way for a latent reconstruction following the 2017 earthquakes in Mexico.
ReConstructo takes the devastating recent earthquakes in Mexico as a starting point to highlight the response of organized citizen groups (including architects and artists) working to rebuild their lost environment.
Damage is material, losses are physical; this is because we belong to the realm of the concrete, demonstrating our worldly dependence on and attachment to the surface defined by our built world. Following the physical loss of habitat, the immediate response is Reconstruction—rebuilding what was lost, reclaiming our territory, and reconciling our existence within such a challenging and dynamic place.
At times, the concept of Reconstruction can be misleading or perhaps confusing. However, in the wake of tragedy, the immediate response to a recent cathartic event that literally shook the lives of millions can be presented as a series of actions driving us to change things in the near future (in both the short and long term).
Alongside ReConstructo at Spazio Ridotto, architecture studio TO presents “Chinampa,” a pavilion at Zuecca Project Space featuring photography by Santiago Arau; this space is coordinated by Zuecca Project Space.
The audiovisual exhibition (running from May 24 to August 21) is divided into three chapters:
Destruction
Informative documentary pieces that introduce the disaster situation experienced in Mexico. Through figures, data, and infographics, the reality and impact of the events are communicated.
This chapter features work by amateur and professional photographers who documented the repercussions on the built environment from personal perspectives.
Photographers: Santiago Arau, Pedro Hernández, Enrique Márquez Abella
Reconstruction
Presented as a group exhibition, this section features 14 reconstruction projects and 6 special projects led by architects and institutions seeking to serve and assist various communities after their losses, thereby linking the destructive physical environment with the reconstructive one. The visual material will be presented in sequences across multiple monitors, accompanied by booklets serving as a record.
Participants: CC Arquitectos, Gaeta-Springall Arquitectos, Comunal Taller de Arquitectura, TDPDD / MUCHO, Taller de Arquitectura | Mauricio Rocha + Gabriela Carrillo |, TO, Estudio Atemporal, Laboratorio de Arquitectura Básica, La Metropolitana, TALLER ADG, Brigada Malinalco- Reconstruir MX, Estudio MMX, Taller Paralelo, CAP, COAA.
Perception
This chapter features work by artists who, in various ways, have linked their practice to the multiple layers of perception regarding built environments, their dynamics, and their aftermath following the earthquakes. Thirteen artists will present pieces in the projection area as part of the schedule of activities.
Artists: Adela Golbard, Andres Souto, Carlos Ivan Hernandez, Daniel Almeida, Fernando Ocana, Isauro Huizar, Jeronimo Reyes Retana, Julieta Gil, Karen Rodriguez, Miguel Angel Salazar, Nestor Jimenez, Sofia Garfias, Sumie Garcia.
Name: Re Constructo / Reconstruyendo México
Location: Spazio Ridotto / Zuecca Project Space, Venice, Italy
Direction, Curation, and Design: Luis Carbonell and Andrés Souto
Director of Zuecca Project Space: Alessandro Possati
Coordinator of Zuecca Project Space: Marica Denora
Content Coordination: Brenda Pérez
Production and Editorial Design: León Villegas
This article was written by Mónica Arellano. The translation is powered by AI.
