Damián Ortega is known for taking things apart and putting them back together again
Born in 1967 in Mexico City, Ortega is one of the most prominent artists of the new Mexican generation. This exhibition, the first-ever survey of Ortega’s work, shows the arc of his artistic output with a range of sculpture, installation, video, and photography.
In Ortega’s work, objects are never allowed to rest—they are pulled apart, suspended, or rearranged, calling attention to the dynamism of the world around us and the hidden poetry in the everyday. A former political cartoonist, Ortega brings a subtle, incisive wit to his surprising manipulations of familiar, humble materials—bricks, old tools, Coca-Cola bottles, tortillas, and even a Volkswagen Beetle are assembled and reassembled in playful and imaginative ways.
Organized by Jessica Morgan, Curator of Contemporary Art, Tate Modern, London, and ICA Adjunct Curator.