Francis Alys - Walking Distance from the Studio

27 May-29 August 2005.

An unusual exhibition by Belgian artist Francis Als, running at Barcelona's Museum of Contemporary Art, has the artist, a trained architect, walking around Mexico city, his home since the 1980s. Walking Distance from the Studio is, according to Als, everything that I saw, heard, did or undid, understood or misunderstood, within a perimeter of ten blocks around my studio in the historic centre of Mexico city. The idea is to focus on the interaction, or the inter-reaction, between the individual and the city. In one scene the artist calmly carries a gun through the streets for 12 minutes until stopped by the police. Inspired by the Zcalo, Mexico Citys main square, Alss drawings, paintings, videos, photographs and slides, uses in wide variety and often simultaneously work to great effect to depict the force of city. Entry costs 7 (concessions 5.50). Mon, Wed, Fri 11.00-20.00 (Thu 11.00-24.00, Sat 10.00-20.00, Sun 10.00-15.00).