FOOD = ART = LIFE |
Alejandro Chellet is a Mexican multidisciplinary artist and cultural practitioner based between Europe and North America. His artwork addresses the misplaced core principles of coexistence, the loss of connection with Nature and the political and environmental context of urban-rural societies. He has made performances about the absurdity of the distribution of food in our capitalist society and has also created participatory art projects teaching people how to grow organic vegetables, build clay ovens and prepare feasts, cooking and baking outdoors.
He is currently researching Radical Hospitality for his Master of Arts in Performance at the Norwegian Theatre Academy. His artwork ranges from social practice, painting, sculpture, site specific, installations, urban interventions and performances using permaculture, artivism, improvisation, somatic movement, politics, altruism and shamanism practices. His work has been shown at festivals, museums and galleries in Europe, Asia, North, Central and South America. |
CV (selection)
Alejandro Chellet / Mexico City 1990
STUDIES
Master in Fine Arts in Performance, Norwegian Theatre Academy, Østfold University College. Norway. (ongoing).
Bachelor in Visual Arts. Universidad de las Artes de Yucatán, Mérida, México.
EXHIBITIONS / PERFORMANCE ART / INTERVENTIONS / RESIDENCIES
2024 -2023
Residency Kordon Lab on Food and Energy. Hiiumaa, Estonia. Funded by the Nordic Culture Point.
2023
Residency REZI DANZ Art-In-Res / Czech Cultural Network Nová. Czech Republic.
Artist talk - 5th international interdisciplinary conference "Taboo-Transgression-Transcendence in Art & Science", Ionian University. Malta Society of Arts.. (September).
Scene : Bluss Fear Fair Feast Edition. Porsgrunn Intersnajonale TeaterFestival. Norway.
Residency Agency of Imagination, curated by Eva Bakkeslett. Engeløya, Norway. (June-July)
Residency La Folie Barbizon, curated by Lionel Bensemoun. France. (March)
2022
Performance for Living in Time, event organized by Casa Viva Gallery and curated by Samantha Ozer during Zona MACO Art Week, Museum Ex Teresa Arte Actual, Mexico City.
Public program SBC Gallery, curated by Francisco Rivas. Montreal, Canada.
Performance for FAMA FEST, funded by British Council Mexico. Huerto Roma Verde, Mexico City.
Collective exhibition and performance at Galería Secreta, Merida, Yucatán.
Collective exhibition Owning Earth, site specific -Land art, Curated by Tal Beery. Unison Art Center, New Paltz, NY, USA
2020
Collective exhibition The Future We Want, representing the Mexican mission on the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. Palais des Nations, Genève, Switzerland.
Video-performance for the Miami International Performance Festival curated by Charo Oquet, Miami, USA.
Video-performance for the Contagion Cabaret curated by Ashley Brockington at Dixon´s Place, NYC, USA.
Performance at L’aise curated by stvn girard, Quebec City, Canada.
Performance at the Saint-Suave Librairie-Café, Québec City, Canada
Performance at Casa Viva Gallery. CDMX.
Urban intervention during Artivismo MX, CDMX.
2019
Performance and residency at Subscena, Zagreb, Croatia.
Urban intervention during the Encuentro of the Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics of the NYU, Mexico City.
Perofrmance at Insitu Festival, Guanajuato, Mexico.
Performance at Open Orbit Art Fair, Woodstock, NY, USA.
Performance at Performancear or Die Festival, Norogachi, Chihuahua, Mexico.
Performance at Itinerant Festival, Last Frontier, NYC, USA.
Performance at Grace Exhibition Space, Lower East Side, NYC, USA.
Performance at Random Access Gallery, Syracuse, NY. USA.
Performance and residency at Materic, Barcelona, Spain.
Performance at Forma Y Sustancia Festival, San Jose, Costa Rica.
2018
Performance at Museum of Chandigarh for Morni Hills Performance Art Biennale 2, India.
Performance at Profoundation, Brooklyn, NYC, USA.
Performance at Anarchist Art Festival, curated by Adriana Varella, Judson Memorial Church, NYC, USA.
Performance at Abrons Art Center for EMERGENYC program of Hemispheric Institute of New York University, NYC USA.
2017
Performance at Neo Domesticity Performance Festival, curated by Alex Romania & Lital Dotan. Glasshouse Artlifelab Gallery in Bushwhick, Brooklyn, NYC, USA.
Performance at Rosekill, curated by Valerie Sharp, Rosedale, New York, USA.
Performance at Anarchist Art Festival, curated by Adriana Varella, Judson Memorial Church, NYC, USA.
Performance at Itinerant, annual Performance Art Festival curated by Hector Canonge, Socrates Sculpture Park, NYC, USA.
Performance at Festival International D'Art Performance, curated by Annabel Gueredrat, Henri Tauliaut & Maria Elena Ortiz, Martinique, France.
Performance at Broadway Arts Gallery, curated by Ming Lui in Kingston, New York. USA.
Performance at The Umbrella Factory, curated by Pulsar and Wild Embedding. Brooklyn, NYC, USA.
Performance at Casa Del Lago, curated by Felipe Zuñiga and Tania Ragasol, UNAM, Mexico City.
2016
Collective exhibition. Casa del Lago, UNAM, curated by Felipe Zuñiga and Tania Ragasol, Mexico City.
Performance for LiVEART.US, bi-monthly platform curated by Hector Canonge, Queens Museum, NYC, USA.
Residency program and exhibition organised by: L’Olivar Foundation and the Perramon de Ventalló Foundation. Sponsored by: Sabadell Banc Foundation, Perramón Foundation, Private Museum Singapore and l’Olivar Foundation. Curated by Pilar Parcerisas & Enric Pladevall. Girona, Spain.
Residency program and performance at Hotel Radisson Blue, with Gallery 12 Performance HUB, curated by Marta Jovanovic, Belgrade, Serbia.
Performance at Mikser Festival Sensitive Society, curated by Ana Dragic, Belgrade, Serbia.
Performance on The Food Show at Local Project, curated by Leili Huizabah, Queens, Long Island, NYC, USA.
Artwork presentation for Animamus Art Salon at Chinatown Soup Gallery, Manhattan curated by Ventiko, NYC. USA.
Performance at Pulsar Performance Space, Bushwick, curated by Ian Deleon and Tiff Robinete, Brooklyn, NYC, USA.
Performance at Linda Montano Art/Life Institute Gallery, curated by Jill McDermid, Kingston, NY, USA.
2015
- Exhibition ACTUALIZA ARTE, (installation, urban interventions and video) curated by Willy Kautz. Supported by Centro Cultural Border and funded by Adidas Originals.
Museo Universitario del Chopo. Mexico City, Mexico.
- Exhibition Tudo que eu não sei, project in partnership with Brazilian Artist Matthias Reis, curators: Giovanna Brasil e Victor Tosi, Museum Memorial do imigrante, Vinhedo-SP, Brazil.
- “piñata guts” performance at Jelly Suite during Art Basel week, Wynwood art district, Miami USA.
- “who is praying?” performance at Academia de San Carlos, Facultad de Arte y Diseño, UNAM, México DF.
-Residency curated by Poppy Jackson at Rosekill, Outdoor performance venue in Rosendale, Upstate NY. USA.
-Performance in collaboration with artist Sophie Merrison-Thieme , Linda Montano Art/Life Institute Gallery, curated by Jill McDermid, Kingston, NY, USA.
-Performance in collaboration with artist Margeaux Walter, Au gust arr Festival at Womens Studio Workshop, Rosendale, NY, USA.
2014
- “ Pajelanca” 12 hours durational performance , curated by Lucio Agra and Rogeiro Nagaoka, SESC. Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
- “One must have a bone and not be afraid to loose the meat and show the bone” performance for Perfo 5, Festival organized by Brazilian Performance Association, Paco Das Artes, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
-”Freegans and permaculturists”, performance at Grace Exhibition Space, curated by Pancho Lopez, Brooklyn, NYC, USA.
- “Chopping chances”, performance made at Grey Zone, Kingston, NY, USA.
2013
- Urban intervention "Punto Social Temporal" as part of the Encounter of Performance Art in the Americas. Hemispheric Institute of Performance Art & Politics of New York University. Event hosted by SESC and Sao Paulo University, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
-“Humus” Performance at Int. Festival EXTRA, Universidad de la Comunicacion, Mexico city.
2012 - “I'll huff and puff” presented in collaboration with Hannah Gardiner at Occupy Low lifes platform in Cancun City, Mexico. Hosted by Occupy With Art from NYC.
2011 -“0.50 pence per hour.” presented at 85 Presents poetry and performance hosted by Catherine Brogan, London, United Kingdom.
2010 - Platform Young Performance Artists, Flutgraben, Berlin, Germany.
- “Standing as...” performance at Indirect Communication event in Art Hall Arsenals, Riga, Latvia.
2007-2008 - Solo and collective improvised street actions, theater and poetry. Mexico City.
2006 Festival “Subcutaneo”, actions on the underground transportation system of Mexico City. .
2003, 2005 and 2006 Projects selected for the editions at the International Performance Art Encounter “Performagia” Museo Universitario del Chopo, Mexico City.
VIDEO-PERFORMANCE
2006 Father’s day performances, Casa De La Niña Performance art gallery, Mexico City.
2009 “Eternity” presented at the International Performance Art Encounter Performar, Dominican Republic.
THE FAT MARIACHI ART COLLECTIVE
2010 Festival de México en el Centro Histórico, Mexico City.
2009 Art Festival, Open Art Realization. Beijing, China
- Performance at Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica. Mexico City.
- Performance and installation on the collective exhibition “CHPPDNSCRWD” at Yautepec Gallery. Mexico City.
- Performance at the Performance Art Festival “Performagia” Chopo, Museo de Arte de Tlaxcala. Tlaxcala, México.
- Performance on the Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporáneo, UNAM. Mexico City.
- Performance on the “Corredor Cultural Roma Condesa” Centro Cultural Border. Mexico City.
- Street performance at “Radiaciones” Intervenciones en la Ruta de la Amistad, Torre de los vientos, Mexico City.
- Performance at “Torneo Escuderías” Centro Cultural de España, Centro Cultural Tlatelolco, UNAM. Mexico City.
- Performance on the exhibition “Recinto Mundano + acciones sonoras” at 1/4 Espacio Emergente de Arte. Mexico City.
2008 First live performance on the international art event “Dorkbot 15” Sala de Arte Público Siqueiros, Mexico City. (December)
PRIZES / AWARDS / SUPPORT
2022 Shortlisted for Prince Claus Mentorship Award Cultural & Artistic Responses to Environmental Change.
2016 Awarded residency and production grant for site specific intervention in L’Olivar Foundation. Girona, Spain.
2014 -2015 Beca ADIDAS BORDER by Centro Cultural BORDER and ADIDAS ORIGINALS to develop EXHIBITION project ACTUALIZA ARTE, April-June 2015. Mexico City.
2013 Awarded British Arts Council grant for urban interventions in collaboration with UK artist Hannah Gardiner, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
2010 Winner of the 3rd prize in the video category with “Despertar” (awakening) in the National Contest About Environmental Problematic and Climate Change, PRI. Mexico City.
2010 Winner of the Honorary Mention with the video “Despertar” in the First Video and Photography Festival “El Arte es Un Viaje”, Mexico City
LABORAL ACTIVITIES
2016 - 2022 Organizer and curator of arts programing and residencies at the community project Huerto Roma Verde in Mexico City.
2015 - 2022 Direction of CASA VIVA LiVE ART MEXICO gallery in Mexico City.
2015 - 2016 Direction of educational program: sustainability, bio architecture and bamboo design, Centro Cultural Border, Mexico City.
2009 - 2017 Co-founder of Cualti Mexico urban agriculture and social change project based in Mexico City.
2012 -2017 Official member of Vivarium S.C charity in charge of a permaculture and agroforestry, reforestation project based in Xochimilco, Natural Reserve, Mexico City, UNESCO World Heritage Site. (collaboration started since 2005)
2014 - 2015 Coordinator at the Permaculture Centre of Education organic cattle ranch, Chiapas. Mexico
2012 - 2013 Project coordinator of Nahui Ollin community vegetable garden. Instruction of organic urban agriculture course supported by Mexican government, Secretaría de Desarrollo Social, Gobierno del Distrito Federal. Tlahuac, Mexico City.
2009 - 2010 Working with Chapulin Films production company. fund-raising for full length commercial Mexican fictional films.
2008 - 2010 General management and conceptual advisor for Fat Mariachi Performance Art Collective.
2008 - 2009 Programmer of the Cancun International Film Festival Mayan Riviera.
INTERNSHIPS
2014 Proyecto Universidad de la Creatividad, elaboración de un domo geodesico de bambu. Tlamaya, Puebla, México.
2013 TIBA, Bio-Arquitectura Intuitiva. Arraial Do Cabo, Brazil.
- EcoeTrix Parque Escola, Valle Cantagallo, Minas Gerais. Brazil.
- Amoreza Permaculture and organic farming site, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
- Ecovillage Spiral of Light, Permaculture site, Amboro Park, Bolivia.
2012 Tierra Del Sol, Permaculture and Eco Tourism site, Oaxaca, México.
2011 Karlshof; Non Agricultural Farm. Templin, Brandenburg, Germany.
- Climate Camp, Lausitz, Brandenburg, Germany.
- Steward Low Impact Permaculture Community, England, UK.
2010 Educational Ecovillage Altmark, Riebau, Saxony Anhalt, Germany.
- Woodhead Community, Permaculture and organic farming and gardening site, Findhorn bay, Scotland, UK.
- Monimail Tower, Permaculture and organic farming site, Fife, Scotland, UK.
- Alternative group of social and political action, FREEGANS, New York City, US
STUDIES / DIPLOMAS / CERTIFICATES /
2022-2024 Master in Fine Arts in Performance, Norwegian Theatre Academy, Østfold University College. Fredrikstad, Norway.
2021 Bachelor in Visual Arts - Universidad de las Artes de Yucatan, Merida, Mexico.
2013 Bio Architecture and Bamboo Building Techniques Diploma instructed by Marcelo Fonseca, Gonzalo Torres Zules, Francisco Diaz. Universidad de Puebla, Puebla City, Mexico.
2012 Permaculture, Keyline, Microbiology and Organic Agriculture Diploma instructed by Eugenio Graz, Ignacio Zamora and Jairo Restrepo. Universidad del Estado de Pachuca, Hidalgo. Mexico.
2011 Permaculture Design Certified Course, instructed by Graham Burnett & Rakesh Bhambri, British Permaculture Association, London, United Kingdom.
- First semester of Bachelor in Visual and Plastic Arts in The Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado “La Esmeralda”, INBA. Mexico City.
- High school at Centro de Eduación Artística, focused in music composition, INBA, Mexico City.
WORKSHOPS / COURSES / SEMINARS / ENCOUNTERS
2014- Performance workshop led by Marcos Bulhoes from Brazilian group DESVIO COLETIVO, organized by Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics NYU, New York. USA.
2013 - Performance workshop led by Guillermo Gomez Peña and la Pocha Nostra. SESC. Porto Alegre, Brazil.
- Encounter of Arts and Politics in the Americas, Hemispheric Institute of NYU, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo. Brazil.
- Participated at round table called "urban interventions as a political instrument" in the Regional Encounter of Architecture Students, University of Rio de Janeiro, Niterói. Brazil.
- 2 Encounter of Sustainable Management, organized by Marcos Ninguém, Gaia University and facilitated by many permaculture practitioners among David Holgrem, Peter Weeb and Alberto Ruz.
- Performance workshop by ERRO Grupo from Brazil.
2012 International Encounter of Art and Sustainability, HUB CONARTE, Mexico City.
2011 “Dirty Electronics: Solder and Score”, electronic instruments building and sound art workshop instructed by John Richards. Institute of Contemporary Art, London, United Kingdom.
- Transition Training by Nick Osborne and Inez Aponte, Transition Network. Totnes, UK.
- Techniques in natural building, Mexico City.
2010 Performance workshop, guided by Jürgen Fritz. IPHA, Schloss Bröllin, Germany.
- “Emotional Landscapes” photography workshop, guided by Megan Cump, International Center of Photography, New York City, USA.
2008 -Photography and experimental supports, workshop by Jeannette Betancourt and Zony Maya, 100m3 Gallery, Mexico City.
2007 Mediatic archaeology workshop by OVNI, Laboratorio de Arte Alameda, Mexico City.
2006 - Experimental video workshop, guided by Ximena Cuevas. INBA, CENART, Mexico City.
- Electronic music course guided by Nikolas Klau, Mexico City.
2005 Acting workshop guided by María Elva Zermeño, teacher of the ENAT, Mexico City
- Modern harmony workshop guided by Arturo Valadez, Mexico City.
2002 to 2004 Acting workshop guided by Oscar Matínez Agíz, teacher of Dramaturg in the UNAM University, Mexico City.
2003 Performance art workshop, Museo Universitario del Chopo, Mexico City
2002 Performance art workshop, Carrillo Gil Museum, by Prof. Pancho López. Mexico City.
PARTICIPATIONS
2015 NON GRATA group performance, Jellysuite, Art Basel MIAMI, USA.
2014 “HELIOPHILIACS” organizado por NON GRATA, Grace Exhibition Space, Brooklyn, NYC, USA.
“CEGOS” performance organizado por DESVIO COLETIVO. Manhattan, NYC, USA.
- Performed at the Nightingale Theatre as part of the Brighton Fringe through May 2011 in a performance by Hannah Gardiner
2010 - Dirty Electronics with John Richards, group performance at ICA, London.
- Black Friday 2010 by Reverend Billy and the Church of Life After Shopping, New York City.
1999 - Performance “Art-Life” by Doris Steinbichler, Mexico City.
- “Quetzalcoatl trash” Visual Poetry Festival, Mexico City.
- Video “Alpura de Fresa” by Guillermo Fadaneli, Mexico City.
- Performance “Petra” by Carlos Jaurena, Mexico City.
- Collective photography exhibition, Gallery 100m3 of Contemporary Art, 2009 Mexico City.
LANGUAGES
Fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, English, French and German