Lisson Gallery home page

Pedro Reyes: Tlali

New York, 6 May – 18 June 2021

Pedro Reyes: Tlali

 

Internationally acclaimed artist Pedro Reyes returns to Lisson Gallery New York with Tlali, an exhibition featuring a new series of sculptures and works on paper drawn from the language and symbols of Pre-Columbian civilizations. Derived from the Aztec language Nahuatl, Tlali (translated as ‘Earth’), cites the perilous predicament of the continent’s name. In addition to the confusion between the United States of America and the larger hemisphere it occupies, the tainted name originates from conquistador Amerigo Vespucci, responsible for the enslavement and death of countless indigenous communities. The artist offers Tlali as an alternative, untainted, allegorical name for the continent. Featuring fourteen carved stone sculptures along with eleven drawings on amate, the presentation engages with Mayan, Olmec, Toltec and Mexica heritage and serves as a reminder of the very foundations of the American continent.

“It is imperative for a Mexican artist to learn Nahuatl,” says Reyes. “Proportionate to the use of Latin in the United States, many places in Mexico have a name in Nahuatl, so learning the language is vital to understanding the region’s geography and anthropology”.  The artist echoes this sentiment in Tlali, allotting each work a Nahuatl title connected to Pre-Columbian symbolism. Carving directly in stone, the Mexico City-based artist brings an ancient artistic practice to the fore while exalting a discipline that dates over thirty-five centuries. The sculptures displayed throughout the exhibition feature the distinct geometric vocabulary used to depict human figures or architectural models by the Mesoamerican civilizations. Using red tezontle, volcanic stone, jadeite, and white marble Reyes continues his deeply political practice through the creation of new totemic and abstract forms.

Read more

Works on view

Installation views

Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork
Pedro Reyes: Tlali artwork

More information

Location

504 West 24th Street
New York

Opening Times:
Tuesday – Saturday: 10:00am – 6:00pm

View map
We use cookies on our website to improve your experience. You can find out why by reading our privacy policy. By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies Privacy Policy