Born in 1980 in Lagos de Moreno, Mexico
Lives and works in Guadalajara, Mexico
Gabriel Rico’s work is characterized by the interrelation of seemingly disparate objects. A self-proclaimed “ontologist with a heuristic methodology,” Rico pairs found, collected, and manufactured materials to create sculptures that invite viewers to reflect on the relationship between humans and our natural environment. He frequently uses neon, taxidermy, ceramics, branches, and more personal pieces of his past to create an equation or formulation, achieving a precise geometry despite the organic, roughly hewn character of his materials. His installations ironically and poetically combine natural and unnatural forms, insisting on a necessary contemplation of their asymmetry as well as our own cultural and political flaws.
education
1999 - 2004
- ITESO (Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Occidente), Guadalajara, Mexico, BA in Architecture
solo shows
2023
- Consider how long you have been doing the same thing!, Perrotin, Shanghai, China
- The Propagation of Teurári, Perrotin, Tokyo, Japan
2022
- An Animal I Am!, Sea World Culture and Arts Center, Shenzhen, China
- When there were more donkeys than icosahedrons, Max Goelitz, Munich, Germany
- La incusion de mi raza, Curated by Cortney Stell, Black Cube Nomadic Art Museum, Denver, CO
- Hey, look at me! I’m totally entangled with not-me!, Beiqiu Museum of Contemporary Art, Nanjing, China
2021
- Gabriel Rico: Unity in Variety, Curated by Andrew Utt, Institute of Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA
- Of beauty and consolation, Perrotin, New York, NY
- I may use an electric drill, but I also use a hammer, Gallería OMR, México City, Mexico
2020
- Nature Loves to Hide, Perrotin, Paris, France
2019
- The Stone, the Branch and the Golden Geometry, Perrotin, Seoul, South Korea
- The Discipline of the Cave, Aspen Art Museum, curated by Heidi Zuckerman, Aspen, CO
2017
- One Law for the Lion & Ox is Opression, Perrotin, New York
- PROXIMIDAD (Gabriel Rico and Jeffrey Gibbons), Cerámica Suro, Guadalajara, Mexico; The Power Station, Dallas, TX
- DEAD DEAD LIVE DEAD, curated by Julio Morales, ASU Art Museum, Phoenix, Arizona
2016.
- VIS VIVA, Gyeonggi Creation Center, Ansan-do, South Korea
2015
- B @ V, Ex Convento del Carmen, Guadalajara, Mexico
- ZEA MAYS, curated by Vivana Kuri, MAZ Museo de Arte de Zapopan, Zapopan, Mexico
2014
- CREATIO EX MATERIA, Gallery Cuadro22, Chur, Switzerland
- B @ V, curated by Mónica Ashida, Ex Convento del Carmen, Guadalajra Mexico
- Zea Mays, Museuo de Arte de Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico
- La Cuchara & El Ladrillo, Public libraries Virgilio Barco & El Tintal, Bogota, Colombia
- SUPERPOCICION, the Museum of the City, Guadalajara, Mexico
2013
- B @ V, Centro de arte Tomas y Valiente, Madrid, Spain
- B @ V, curated by Guillermo Santamarina and Itala Schmelz, MASIN (Museo de Arte de Sinaloa), Culiacan, Mexico
2012
- Lo que me da forma... Lo que me contiene, Curro & Poncho Gallery, Guadalajara, Mexico
2011
- Elevando el espacio a la dignidad de atributo de dios, Gallery Jesus Gallardo at the University of Guanajuato, Mexico
2010
- Todas las formas de arte en una misma entidad, curated by Virginia Jauregui, La Vitrina, Guadalajara, Mexico
- Dela IM, Laboratorio CV930, Museum of Arts at the University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
- Paisajes Universales No.5, curated by Abraham Cruz Villegas, Wall project at Café Benito Sala Juárez, LARVA, Guadalajara, Mexico
group shows
2023
- Art Macao Biennale, Curated by Dr. Qiu Zhiijie, Macao, China
- Chengdu Biennale, Chengdu, China
- Fresh Nature, Kutlesa Gallery, Arth, Switzerland
2022
- Wuhan Biennale, Connected by Art, Curated by Dr. Qiu Zhiijie, Wuhan, China
- La casa que nos inventamos: Contemporary Art from Guadalajara, Curated by Viviana Kuri, Okklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, Oklahoma City, USA.
- What is left unspoken, Love, Curated by Michael Rooks, High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia
- Start Talking: Fischer/Shull Collection of Contemporary Art, North Carlolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, NC
- La epoca de Oro, Gamma Galeria, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
2021
- New Order: On Art and Order in Uncertain Times, Museum im Kulturspeicher Würzburg, Germany
- Cerámica Suro: Una historia de colaboración, producción y coleccionismo en el Arte Contemporáneo, curated by Viviana Kuri, Museo de Arte de Zapopan, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
- La Galaxia del Olvido II/ Episodio Puente Aranda, curated by Danielle Kovalsky, Maria Isabel Rueda, José Aramburo & Juan Uribe, Temporary Space, Bogotá, Colombia
- Nasher Mixtape, curated by Catherine Craft, Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, USA
2020
- 20/20 Afinidades Electivas, curated by Javier Rodrigue, Torre Américas 1500, Guadalajara, Mexico.
- Recover / Uncover, MASA Galería, Mexico City, Mexico
- Take me to, Max Goelitz, Munich, Germany
- Momentum, Museum Voorlinden, Wassenaar, the Netherlands
- The Quintessence of Consciusness’, Curated by Degard, The Royal College of Art, South Kensigton, London, United Kingdom
- Instantánea 2020, Curated by Geovana Ibarra and organized by Rayo de Jalisco, Antigua Fábrica KODAK, Zapopan, Mexico
- XIV Bienal FEMSA. Centro Cultural Antiguo Colegio Jesuita, Pátzcuaro, Mexico
- SINERGIA, Co-curated by Salvador Cayón Chávez y Pattho Villagrán, Fundación CALOSA, Irapuato, Mexico.
- Wonderland, Galerie Perrotin, Shanghai, China
- Momentum, Museum Voorlinden, Wassenaar, Netherlands
2019
- No Church in the Wild, Curated by Hiram Constantino, Otro Espacio, Guadalajara, Mexico
- Doble Filo: Geografias y Palabras, curated by Felix Suazo, Coral Gables Museum, Coral Gables, Florida
- Flora/Fauna, curated by Calli Moore, Josée Bienvenu Gallery, New York, New York
- May You Live In Interesting Times, 58th Venice Biennale, curated by Ralph Rugoff, Venice, Italy
- Golden Hour, curated by Ingrid Brochard, Le Musée Mobile Nouvelle Génération (MuMO), Lille, France
- Room for Failure, curated by Omar López-Chahoud, Piero Atchugarry Gallery, Miami, Florida
- Presque Rien, curated by Marie-Paule De Vil & Peter De Meyer, Geukens & De VIl Gallery, Antwepen & Knokke, Belgium
- The Nature Morte / Nature Vivante, curated by Veerle Wenes, Centre d'Innovation et de Design au Gran - Hornu, Belgium
- Estar Vivo é o Contrário de Estar Morto, Curated by Guilherme Blanc and Luísa Saraiva, Galeria Municipal do Porto, Portugal
- The Unbearable Impermanence of Things, Curated by Libby Barbee, Vicki Myhren Gallery, Denver, Colorado, USA
- BUSCH Magazine first edition, Berlin Avus Tribüne, Berlin, Germany
- Good Moves, The Power Station, Dallas, Texas, USA
2018
- Unstable Stillness, Perrotin, Hong Kong, China
- CONFIGURATIONS, curated by Claudia Paetzold, IKLAB, Tulum, Mexico
- Cycles of Collapsing Progress, curated by Karina El Helou and Anissa Touati, Rashid Karami International, Tripoli, Lebanon
- Mrs. Spring Fragrance, curated by Sotiris Sotiriou, COMA Gallery, Sydney, Australia
- Almost Solid Light: New Work From Mexico, curated by Mario Navarro, Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York, New York
- Le Sud BB, curated by Anissa Touati, Hangar J1, Marseille, France
- Rooftop Playground, curated by Constance Breton, Michael Fuchs Gallery, Berlin, Germany
- Supersimetrica, Matadero, Madrid, Spain
2017
- Vecinos, CULT | Aimee Friberg Exhibitions, San Francisco, California
- Kitchen Debate, curated by Paulina Ascencio, Rawson Projects, New York, New York
- Chingaderas Sofisticadas, curated by Esthella Provas and Samantha Glaser, Kohn Gallery, Los Angeles, California
- Coalescence, curated by Ericka Hirugami, Curator Love, Los Angelas, EUA
- Art Laguna Prize - 11th edition, Nappe Arsenale, Venice, Italy
- The QUEENS falls, curated by Anissa Touati and Marc-Olivier Wahler, Galeria OMR, Mexico City, Mexico
- DIY Fiction, curated by Jeovana Ibarra, Arte Careyes, Costa Careyes, Mexico
2016
- 52 Paisaje recientes, curated by Paulina Ascencio, Calosa Foundation, Irapuato, Mexico
- ¿Como te voy a olvidar?, curated by Peggy Leboeuf and Anissa Touati, Galerie Perrotin, Paris, France
- The Spring Exhibition 2016, Charlottenborg Fonden, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Fine words butter no parsnips however fine parsnips can butter words, curated by Alejandro Almanza, Present Co., New York, New York
- Reconstrucción, an Abraham Cruzvillegas Project, MAZ Museum, Zapopan, Mexico.
2015
- The Empty Fox Hole, Hisk, Gent, Belgium
- Fall Out, Whitdel Arts, Detroit, Michigan
- 8th Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, Korea Ceramic Foundation, Seoul, South Korea
- Map of the New Art, Fundazione Giorgio Cini, Venice, Italy
- Sure, Baby, Mañana, curated by Paulina Ascencio, Arte Careyes, Costa Careyes, Mexico
- Artesano / Artista 3.0, CECUT, Tijuana, Mexico
2014
- Artesano / Artista 3.0, Museum Reyes Meza, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico
- Artesano / Artista 3.0, Museum Caja Real, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
- Leviatán, Museo de Arte Raúl Anguiano (MURA), Guadalajara, Mexico
- Presentando lo irrepresentable, Curro y Poncho, Guadalajara, Mexico
2013
- Artesano / Artista 3.0, curated by Walther Boelsterly Urrutia, Museum of Popular Arts (MAP), Mexico City, Mexico
- Coup de Ville - Attracted by another level, curated by Stef Van Bellingen, St. Nikklas, Belgium
- Festival de Arte Careyes, curated by Humberto Moro, Galerie La Brignonesca, Mexico
- Tinnitus & fosenos, curated by Viviana Kuri and Carlos Ashida, MAZ Museum of Art Zapopan, Guadalajara, Mexico
2012
- Manifest Aanwezig, Castle Aspremont-Lynden , Oud Rekem, Belgium.
- Play panopticon, SASG (Seoul Art Space Geumcheon), Seoul, South Korea
2011
- Compilación del archivo bastardo, La Galería del Comercio, Mexico City, Mexico
- Don & Látigo, Sala Juarez, LARVA en Guadalajara, Mexico
- Shadowing cities, curated by Fiona Weir and Ans Kanen, Ruimte in beweging, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
- Lightworks, Grimsby Minster, London, United Kingdom.
- Grange Gardens Sculpture Project, GALERIE 8, London, United Kingdom.
2010
- Tenemos tanto tiempo y tan poco que hacer, CAM, Zapopan, Mexico.
- Totem, Tree amigos, Abarrotera Mexicano, Guadalajara, Mexico
2008
- Firulais, curated by Cirstián Silva, Museo de la Ciudad, Guadalajara, Mexico
- Matemática discretas, Tree amigos, Av. Vallarta 1835 Int.2, Guadalajara, Mexico
- Las mujeres de mi padre, curated by Cristián Silva, Museo Raúl Anguiano, Guadalajara, Mexico
- Dios, Tree amigos, Chapultepec 70 depto. 10, Guadalajara, Mexico
2007
- Mexican Modern Art, University of Guanajuato, Mexico
- Sindicato de Hong Kong, curated by Jorge Méndez Blake, Segundo Piso, Guadalajara, Mexico
- Mashbank, Tree Amigos, Simon Bolivar 1680, Guadalajara, Mexico
2006
- Xoconoxtle, Proyecto liga, Guadalajara, Mexico
- Quadrophoniadelayentropicjaicu, Tree amigos, Panteón de Belén,, Guadalajara, Mexico
2005
- Siete en la mira, La casa de la Tía Tina, Mexicali, Mexico
- IX Salón de la Hipermodernidad, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Guadalajara, Mexico
- Tree amigos presenta, Gallery teu Lloc, Guadalajara, Mexico
- Lo-tec, Galerry Haus der Kunst, Guadalajara, Mexico
- Natural born killer, Taller colectivo G, Guadalajara, Mexico
- Turista, Interventions to the city, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
2004
- Invocarte 04, within the activities of the Festival Cervantino at Guanajuato, Mexico
public collections
Arizona Art Museum (ASU), Phoenix, AZ, USA
ArtNexus Foundation, Colombia & USA
Museo Jumex, Mexico City, Mexico
FMC (Frans Mesereel Centrum), Kasterlee, Belgium
Korean Ceramic Fundation (KOCEF), Seoul, South Korea
MASIN (Museo de Arte de Sinaloa), Culiacan, Mexico
The Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), Miami, Florida, USA
Taguchi Art Collection, Japan
Voorlinden Museum, Wassenaar, Netherlands
awards
2017
- BAR Beirut Art Residency, Lebanon
- ASU Art Museum & CALA Alliance, Pheonix, Arizona
2015
- Young creators anual fellowship PECDA, (Fondo Estatal para la Cultura & las Artes), Jalisco, Mexico
- Annual program of residencies for international artist 2015/2016, Gyeonggi Creation Center, Seoul, Korea
2014
- Bursary for artists, The Ténot Fondation , France
- Proyecta 2014, award for production, Secretary of Culture of the state of Jalisco, Mexico
- Annual residency program for artistic research and production. 2014, Marnay Art, Science & Technology Center (CAMAC) & Ténot Fundation, Marnay sur Seine, France
- Binational Artist Residencies Program 2014, National Fund for Culture and the Arts (FONCA) Mexico & the Ministry of Culture of Colombia., Bogota, Colombia
2013
- Annual Research Residency Program @, Frans Mesereel Centrum., Kasterlee, Belgium
2012
- DMZ Intaernational Peace Residency., Dongguk University, The border area near the DMZ Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do., Korea, Republic Of
- Annual residency program of the SASG. 2012, Seoul Art Space Geumcheon, Seoul, Republic Of Korea
2011
- Suport program for production -Anual Award- Prince Claus Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2010
- Young creators anual fellowship, FECA (Fondo Estatal para la Cultura & las Artes), Jalisco, Mexico
- Artis Village , WARP contemporary art plataform, St. Nikklass, Belgium
ARTIST TALKS
2021
- Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, USA
- In conversation with Karla Aguiniga of the Hammer Museum & the Institute of Contemporary Art of San Diego executive director Andrew Utt, California, USA
- Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, Thermal, USA
2019
- Universidad de Monterrey, Centro Roberto Garza Sada Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico
- School of Visual Arts, New York, USA
- IKLab, Tulum, Mexico
- Lecture with Roland McCook, President of the Native American Cultural Programs, Aspen Art Museum, USA
2018
- T’s Talk, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- The Battery, San Francisco, CA, USA
2017
- Sursock Museum, Beirut, Lebanon
- Gallery Perrotin in conversation with Julio Morales, EUA
- Parsons The New School for Arts, USA
- ASU Arizona Art Museum, USA
- MAZ Zapopan Art Museum, Mexico
2014
- Arts University of Aguascalientes, Mexico
- Flora Arts + Natura, Colombia
2013
- WARP Contemporary Art Platform, Belgium
2012
- Laboratorio Jorge Martínez, Mexico
- Seoul Art Space Geumcheong, South Korea
