Alexis Mata is a Mexico City-based artist recognized for his distinct interpretation of desert landscapes, often punctuated by glitch and pixel effects.
His practice delves into themes of perception, error, and the surreal, with his creative process sometimes influenced by altered states of consciousness, yielding vibrant and evocative canvases.
About his work the artist tells the following:
I began my artistic exploration with interventions in public and urban spaces, focusing on generating social criticism and dialogue among spectators in a country plagued by inequalities, violence and simulations. The ephemeral nature of these manifestations led me to migrate to techniques such as collage, painting, drawing and installation, thinking about the importance of preserving the formats; which led to the work and preservation of images from digital formats. From this moment on, my work begins to move between digital and analog. Using tools such as scanners, manipulation or digital editing, I reflect on the information that is lost, transformed and generated by migrating formats, building different dialogues to those that were initially raised.
In recent years I have focused my research on the questioning of standards and ideas generated or imposed collectively and their acceptance; for example, the idea of beauty, success, prosperity, among others, working from there and appropriating classic images belonging to the common domain. These reflections allow me to delve into the aesthetics of signs, symbols and archetypes, to analyze, synthesize, deconstruct and generate new images, taking as a basis for construction the error (pixelated, glitch, cuts).
My recent work makes contemplation the central axis from which visual experimentation is developed; starting from this exercise, I meticulously document dreams, sensations and experiences related to landscapes, either in the form of texts, ideas, poems, haikus, photographs, drawings, etc. Once the information has been compiled, I generate a dialogue with the artificial intelligence in which I seek to share and explain situations and self-referential experiences in a limited way. The information is processed by the artificial intelligence, which follows the conversation from the return of an image that concentrates not only my references, but all the data that as a human entity we deposit in the tool, functioning as an analogy of the collective unconscious.
The images generated by the artificial intelligence are later edited and reworked by me, functioning as a reference for the creation of my work, as well as linking and giving coherence to the subconscious dream world, generating and perpetually regenerating imagined scenarios.
My work has been exhibited individually and collectively nationally and internationally, highlighting exhibitions such as "México: Pintura Reactiva" at the Carrillo Gil Art Museum", "Persistencia de la Memoria" at MUCA Roma, "La Raíz de mi Falla" at Sala de exposiciones de Bellas Artes, Puebla, "Antes de que nos despierten" at MAIA Contemporary, Mexico City, "Error" at Soze Gallery, Los Angeles, "Distorting Views" at Brick Lane Gallery, London, among others. I was a founding member, as well as director and curator of the independent space USSR - A space about revolution between 2019 and 2022, generating spaces for experimentation, dialogue and exhibition for artists such as Enrique Jezik, Alejandra España, Ernesto Solana, Melanie McLain, Marcos Castro, among others.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025
Sublime Paraíso, MAIA Contemporary, CDMX, Mexico City
2024
Tiempo Vivo, Centro Cultural Tamaulipas, Mexico
2023
Before they wake us up, MAIA Contemporary, CDMX, Mexico City
Formas Oníricas, Johnson Project, San Francisco, California
2022
Fracture, Colector, Monterrey NL, Mexico
2021
Sueñan las flores que desaparecen, MAIA Contemporary, CDMX, Mexico City
2017
La Muerte del Autor, MAIA Contemporary, CDMX, Mexico City
2015
La raíz de mi falla, UPAEP, Puebla, Mexico
Ponzoña, FU Gallery, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.
2014
Error, Soze Gallery, Los Angeles California, USA
Error del pensamiento, FIFTY24MX Gallery, CDMX, Mexico City
2011
Huele a muerto, Yautepec Gallery, CDMX, Mexico City
Memorias Replicantes, Yautepec Gallery, CDMX, Mexico City
2009
Pensamientos Vagos, CECUT Museum, Tijuana
Nina Menocal Gallery, CDMX, Mexico City
DUO SHOWS
2024
Fata Morgana, Alexis Mata | Raul de Lara / The Hole NYC, New York
Sitio en reconstrucción, Alexis Mata | Marcos Castro / Lux Perpetua Art Centre, Mérida Yucatán
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025
Blue Grass, Green Skies’ at Lancaster Museum of Art and History, California
BEATING LONELINESS, Monti8 gallery, Roma, Italia
SUMMERTIME’25 YEARS, Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhague, Dinamarca
Open sesame! MAIA Contemporary, Mexico City
Dimensiones Paralelas, Cultural Center Casa Lamm, Mexico City
Discover Collect Repeat, Galerie Zberro, Paris, France
Nodo de Arte Contemporaneo, Museo Arocena, Torreón Coahuila, Mexico
Rendered reality, Stolen Space, London, United Kingdom
2024
Tone Poem, The Hole, Los Angeles, California
La naturaleza como metáfora política, Museo del Instituto de Geología de la UNAM, CDMX, Mexico
2023
Tremor, MAIA Contemporary, CDMX, Mexico City
2022
Infinity landscape. AADK, Murcia Spain
Snake Peek, Mirus Gallery, Los Angeles
Night Birds, Yohualtotomeh, MAIA Contemporary, CDMX, Mexico City
Un fresno en el Palmar, Espacio Cultural el Palmar, CDMX, Mexico City
UNTITLED Art Fair, Miami Beach
2021
Mexico Vivo, Museo Tamayo, CDMX, Mexico City
Duo, Galería Nueva, Madrid Spain
RESET, MAIA Contemporary, CDMX, Mexico City
Why Can’t we just live, Galería Galeria, Oaxaca, Mexico
To uncertain science, UnEstudioSobreRev, CDMX, Mexico City
2020
Mexico Vivo, Museo Jumex, CDMX, Mexico City
Uncovered, Galerie Goldshteyn-Saatort, Paris France
Awakening, Knew Conscious Gallery, Denver
El que quiera que oiga y el que no, pues no. Galería Nueva, Madrid, Spain
2019
México Vivo, Museo de Arte Moderno, CDMX, Mexico City
10-25 Carteles Mexico, Museo del Objeto, CDMX, Mexico City
Constelación, Archivo Colectivo, CDMX, Mexico City
What’s UP Buttercup?, Parlor Gallery, New Jersey
2018
Mexico: Pintura Reactiva, Museo Carrillo Gil, CDMX, Mexico City
2016
Platinum Blend 2, Modern Eden Gallery, San Francisco
2015
Ukiyo-e. Museo de Arte PAPE, Coahuila, Mexico
Persistencia de la Memory, MUCA Roma Museum, CDMX, Mexico City
Cinco De Mayo, Inner State Gallery, Detroit, Detroit
2014
No content, CECUT Museum, Tijuana, Mexico
Art Walk Mexico, CDMX, Mexico City
The Soze Collection. Soze Gallery Los Angeles
2013
Ukiyo-E images of the floating world, Museo Carrillo Gil, CDMX, Mexico City
1000 Amsterdam Drawing.Brakke Grond Vlaams Cultuurhuis, NL
Un mal necesario. Bucareli No.134 (Area M), CDMX, Mexico City
2012
Distorting views, Brick Lane Gallery, E1 6SA, London
Feos, Sucios y Malos. Bucareli No.134 (Area M), CDMX, Mexico City
Desilusión del Paisaje. M Area, CDMX, Mexico City
2011
Re-Cover. Casa del Lago Juan José Arreola, CDMX, Mexico City
Intersticios Urbanos, Centro Cultural España, CDMX, Mexico City
Línea Expandida, UNAM, Facultad de Estudios Avanzados Cuautitlán, CDMX, Mexico City
2010
Draw, Mexico City Museum, CDMX, Mexico City
2009
Honesty, Eye Level Gallery, NY. International. NY
ARTISTIC RESIDENCIES
Casa Framboyan, Merida, Yucatan (2024)
Atelier Solar, Madrid Spain (2022)
Addk Murcia, Spain (2021)
Dedazo, Chiapas Mexico (2020)
Residency el Ganzo B.C Sur, Mexico (2017 – 2018)
