Maythé Loza: A leading figure in contemporary Guadalajara art

Maythé Loza:

A leading figure in contemporary Guadalajara art

December 10, 2024

Her close collaboration with Benjamín Fernández Galindo, one of Mexico's most distinguished art collectors, provided Maythé Loza with a deep and sophisticated understanding of the art world. This experience laid the foundation for her subsequent leadership at Galería Bruna, where she solidified her reputation as a key figure in the renaissance of contemporary art in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

With a bold and innovative curatorial vision, Loza transformed the local scene, positioning Jalisco as a national reference point. Through avant-garde exhibitions that brought together emerging, mid-career, and established artists, she opened spaces for experimentation and dialogue, enriching the artistic landscape with new proposals and consolidating the recognition of Jalisco-based artists.

Beyond the gallery walls, Maythé is a tireless promoter of art in the community. Through exhibitions, public events, and auctions, she fosters a greater appreciation for contemporary art, bringing the art world closer to a wider and more diverse audience, and strengthening the relationship between artists, collectors, and the general public.

Her four-year leadership at Galería Bruna revitalized the city's art scene. Today, Guadalajara is recognized as a hub for artistic creation thanks to the vision and commitment of leaders like Loza.

With her eyes set on the future, Maythé Loza is preparing new projects aimed at consolidating Guadalajara's position as an international reference point for contemporary art. Her passion for art, her closeness to artists, her knowledge of the market, and her ability to connect artists, collectors, and audiences position her as a leading woman in the Mexican contemporary art scene.

Héctor Díaz

Gallerist

Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico

Maythé Loza | Essay

Art is a human necessity. We seek different expressions throughout our lives, finding them not only in our products of enjoyment and entertainment but also in our daily lives. It allows us to reflect on human questions and grow as a society.

December 10, 2024

My interest in art began in childhood, influenced by my mother, an avid amateur painter, and sporadic but enriching visits to museums and theaters, as well as discussions about the arts. I remember spending my vacations in the library, devouring books on painting, sculpture, and other techniques.

This curiosity grew and transformed my self-taught interest into a lifelong perspective, eventually maturing into the possibility of studying and living off a passion.

These aspirations materialized at the Escuela de Conservación y Restauración de Occidente –ECRO–, where I pursued a degree in Restauración de Bienes Muebles. There, I learned not only techniques and methodologies of intervention but also chemistry, materials analysis, the history of cultural heritage, creative techniques, project management, and many other areas focused on cultural heritage.

However, my personal interest led me to seek different approaches, especially towards contemporary art. I completed a residency at the Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporáneo –MUAC–, where I understood how exhibitions are curated, mounted, and the internal processes of institutions. I also had the opportunity to complete my training at the Escuela de Conservación, Restauración y Museografía “Manuel del Castillo Negrete” –ENCRyM– through the Seminario Taller de Restauración de Obra Moderna y Contemporánea in Mexico City.

Later, I returned to Guadalajara and began applying my acquired knowledge in various public and private institutions such as the Museo de Arte de Zapopan, Museo Premio Nacional de la Cerámica, Museo del Periodismo y las Artes Graficas, among others.

I had the opportunity to publish various articles, including a contribution to the book of the 15th Contemporary Art Conservation Conference at the Reina Sofía Museum in Spain, and an article in MORBO magazine that won first place in the publication's journalism award.

My professional growth led me to the collection of Benjamín Fernández Galindo, one of the most extensive and impressive art collections in Mexico, which will be exhibited and preserved at the Museo Internacional de Arte –MINART–. It was an unparalleled experience, as my position as Operations Coordinator required me to handle the logistics of exhibitions, storage, picking, conservation, handling, and manipulation of the entire collection, consisting of thousands of pieces. I was able to participate in hundreds of exhibitions, collaborate with various national and international institutions, and forge relationships with artists, gallerists, and other cultural agents. A collection that undoubtedly deserves attention.

Later, after various projects and exhibitions, I took over the direction of Galería Bruna, a nascent project aiming to be a landmark in the contemporary art scene of Guadalajara. Shoulder to shoulder with Alberto Ramos, the curator, we were able to create unprecedented projects in the city of Guadalajara, such as the first augmented reality exhibition with works by Maestro Luis Valsoto, the first exhibition of a virtual artist by two authors with BORÁN, or the TIV show, featuring works by all members of the collective with unpublished pieces... to name just three of the exhibitions generated.

After 17 years of working in different areas of art and culture, I have developed my own vision of the industry... I have been able to contribute and continue contributing.

Fortunately, Guadalajara, and all of Mexico, possess an impressive cultural wealth that few places in the world can boast, allowing agents to create projects for dissemination and consumption that have an international impact. La perla tapatía –Guadalajara– is not only a great producer of contemporary art but also a great promoter that figures on lists of different countries around the world.

As with any industry, the art world and its market have its flaws and errors, all of which are completely remediable. However, one of its greatest demons, from which it struggles to detach itself, is fear: fear of change, of the unknown, of what others will say, of failure, of success, of being different, of not belonging... the list goes on. However, as a guild, we must shed these fears, take risks, stop doing the same thing everyone else does, be ourselves, renew ourselves, innovate, and advance.

Art has always been disruptive and challenging, and as promoters, we must be too.

This is the only way to make history, and I want to make history.

Maythé Loza

Restorer and Gallerist

Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico