SAN ANTONIO — A new exhibit highlighting Aztec mythology, Catholic symbolism, pop culture and world events is now on display at the McNay Art Museum through September.
Brothers Einar de la Torre and Jamex de la Torre created the “Upward Mobility” exhibit specifically for the McNay in only a few short weeks while visiting San Antonio.
Museum curators said they first encountered the de la Torre brothers a few years ago, when they provided the opening exhibition at The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture in Riverside California.
“We immediately realized that this would resonate with the San Antonio community. The themes and ideas that the brothers explored would make a lot of sense with our audience,” said René Paul Barilleaux, head of curatorial affairs at the McNay.
When McNay executives asked the brothers to create an exhibition at the San Antonio museum, they dove right in.
In preparation of the exhibit, the brothers made several visits to San Antonio to get a true sense of the city and the people.
“They really took the time when they weren’t at the McNay to go around the city and experience San Antonio, get to know what it’s like here, what makes our city tick. They came to love San Antonio during their visits here,” said Lauren Thompson, the McNay's curator of exhibitions.
The brothers and curators worked alongside a community committee to ensure the art would tie into the city.
“They incorporated aspects of things that they saw in the city in the work of art that’s presented in the exhibition. So, there is a really strong connection to our city,” Thompson added.
Vivid art, deep themes
The exhibit is presented in four separate galleries: "Dark Nature," "The Mansion," "Monster Movie" and "Colonial Atmosphere." Visitors will find larger-than-life installations, a huge banquet table, amazing lenticular photographs and even a recreation of the 1969 lunar moon landing.
As soon as guests walk into the exhibit, they are met with artwork in the first gallery, "Dark Nature."
This gallery focuses on human's animalistic traits and their ties to mythological creatures. Through the artwork the brothers try to show how humans want to control nature and ends up damaging the world instead of caring for it.
The brothers wanted to pose important questions about what humans are doing to the world and how we can fix it.
The second chapter of the exhibit is referred to as its "centerpiece." It features a fantastical 20-foot banquet table that shows signs of a decadent party where the guests have mysteriously vanished.
Surrounding the table are taxidermied animals and dinnerware that, from afar, appears to contain sumptuous items. But as the museumgoer gets closer, they'll notice a darker take, representing something sinister that may have happened.
The brothers combined many different locally sourced materials while working on this project, including furniture from the original McNay house and collection.
Curator of Latinx Art Mia Lopez said the focus of the second gallery is consumption, extravagance and the way society has gravitated towards over-the-top celebrations.
Lopez’s favorite piece in the room are looming overhead chandeliers hanging above the lengthy dinner table. At first glance, the chandeliers have a typical structure that also showcases the brothers’ unique aesthetic.
Audiences can see arms sticking out from chandeliers, as if they're ready to fight and holding broken bottles—a representation of the disgruntled fictional workers that created the lavish feast for their over-the-top employers.
“The brothers were really able to experiment with some new techniques and highlight some new works," Lopez said. "The chandeliers were created specifically for this space and that was something that they had never done before."
Lopez explained that each gallery is one-of-a-kind, containing an incredible amount of detailing and layering.
“It’s always exciting to see artists take risks and to see those risks pay off," Lopez said. “Because this is a site-specific installation, this is really the only opportunity to ever see this work displayed in this way. So if people really want to see this, they have to come to the McNay.”
The next gallery focuses on pop culture aspects and the idea of the monster movie. Guests will walk into the third gallery and see two sides of the room displaying large lenticular prints similar to a movie poster.
One of the pictures shows Coatzilla, a combination of Coatlicue, the Aztec Goddess of Creation, and Godzilla.
Coatzilla is shown trampling the world and spewing COVID-19 molecules out of her nose and into the world. She is supposed to represents the natural world.
Coatzilla is seen fighting Mictlanteputin, a combination of the Aztec God of Death and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mictlanteputin represents industry and humanity's impact on the world.
In between the prints is drone footage of Mexico City visible on the floor. Visitors are encouraged to walk through the exhibit and act like monsters in the pictures, trampling the tiny cars and buildings ostensibly below their feet.
Thompson said the third gallery is fun and kid-friendly, but also accessible for all ages.
"There’s something fun about that interactive quality. Getting to play a little bit in this space too. Imagining that I’m a big monster who’s attacking the city," Thompson said. “I think that’s something that’s very unique and that people should come here and see that in person.”
The fourth gallery, "Colonial Atmosphere," features the brothers' interpretation of the lunar lander in the shape of a stone Olmec head.
The Olmecs were the first civilization in Mesoamerica, best known for their distinct stone heads.
The scene reimagines an important event in history along with the history of the Mesoamerican people.
The exhibition opened a few months ago. During that time, the curators have been thinking about what items they want permanently displayed at the McNay.
The museum has recently purchased two works from the exhibition which will now be a permanent fixture in the McNay’s collection, including a beautiful glass-blown heart sculpture.
“It’s a real testament to the brothers’ creativity and the way they connect to their history, their own kind of culture, but also the way they make their work more universal," Barilleaux said. "Everyone can relate to it.”
A digital experience
With the opening of the exhibition the McNay also launched the Bloomberg Connects app.
Throughout all four galleries there are QR codes. Guests can scan the images on their phone to access additional information, videos, and audio recordings of the brothers and their works of art.
The app will provide more context to the exhibit. Guests can access the Bloomberg Connects app from anywhere in the world.
“We’re proud to be the first institution in San Antonio on the Bloomberg Connects app,” Thompson said.
The McNay is also offering programs and events related to the “Upward Mobility” exhibition throughout the month of June.
Guests are invited to meet and speak with the brothers at the Artist Conversation panel at the McNay and take part in a Glass Blowing Demonstration with the artists at Garcia Art Glass Studio, both on June 13.
The exhibition will be on display through Sept. 15 and is included with general admission tickets.
For more about the events click here. To access the Bloomberg Connects app click here.
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