San Cristóbal de Las Casas. Chiapas, México

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Permanent Collection
of Contemporary Maya and Zoque Art from Chiapas

With the virtual explosion of creative activity among the Indigenous peoples of Chiapas, symbolic and expressive galaxies have opened up, accessible to anyone interested in exploring them. Galería MUY presents an exhibition of works that are part of its permanent collection, offering a broad and profound perspective on the artistic creativity of over 21 emerging and established artists associated with MUY.

Galería MUY’s mission is to promote the production, exhibition, and reflection on contemporary art created by Tsotsil, Tzeltal, Lacandon, Tojolabal, and Zoque-speaking artists. Since our founding in 2014, we have organized temporary exhibitions by both individual and collective creators, curated by the gallery and independent experts. As a cultural center for this group of artists, we also host performances, workshops, and discussions.

Galería MUY exhibits works in the mediums of painting, photography/video, performance, and installation. The artists associated with Galería MUY are known for exploring the relationship between art and both political and spiritual dimensions. They reflect on consumerism, globalization, capitalism itself, and art as a spiritual practice.

For this exhibition, we have selected one or two works from each of the sixteen Maya and Zoque artists associated with the gallery from MUY’s permanent collection.

Artworks

"Maxes"

Abraham Gómez | Maxetik (Monkeys)

Photograph on cotton paper
13 x 16.5 pulgadas

“The maxes are people who come to the cemetery on the Day of the Dead to honor the deceased and dance on their graves, as they celebrate the spirit of the dead. They are mainly found in Romerillo, Chamula. This is how the maxes dressed in the 1960s. This is how they dress today.”

Darwin Cruz | Deadly Glucose

Acrylic on canvas
0.50 m in diameter
2016

“Nowadays, products like Coca-Cola have taken hold of us. They cause us illnesses, but they have a powerful grip on our minds.”

Cecy Gómez | Jal jkuxlejaltik (Life is long)

Black cotton thread 16/2, cotton thread with ixtle, cotton and silk thread, banana stem fiber, yarn thread, wood from the loom auxiliary
5.30 x 0.50 m
2018

“This piece represents life, the relationship with people from the community and the city. The threads represent the blood that flows. Another symbol is the path; before, there were no roads, and people walked on the trails. The diamond shape represents the center of the universe and the cardinal points. (Now, through television and social media, we have lost our values.)

In the piece, there is the symbol of man and woman. There must be reconciliation, recognition — both are important — man and woman can weave! Before, they insulted men who wove, saying they were homosexual. But now, there must be respect, it is an opportunity, there are discussions, many criticisms, there are men and women who care about textiles. There is also the symbol of the frog, which represents rain and planting in the springtime.”

Manuel Guzmán | Earthquake, September 7th

Oil on canvas
0.30 x 0.40 cm
2017

“It is the representation of the earthquake on September 7th and 19th. Many people lost their lives, and there were houses affected.”

Kayúm Ma'ax | Wedding ceremony

Acrylic on canvas
100 x 120 cm
2018

“This time, weddings were ceremonial. Firewood is gathered, bonfires are made, and cigars are smoked, real tobacco harvested from the milpa. The groom asks the father of the girl to give his daughter’s hand, meaning they are married. He asks the Lord of the Sky, Hach akyum, ‘I am going to give you my daughter, may she not fall ill, may you take care of her, she will marry K’in, may they both be cared for, may they have food, may they have homes, may they have families, may they have the milpa, may they have the customs. They are married for life, until death do they part.’ The gift in the net includes watermelon, banana, and squash. The lady, Koj, is the girl’s mother; her necklace feather – ‘tears of Saint Peter’ – and feathers from toucan, woodpecker, eagle, and hummingbird. [‘Tears of Saint Peter’ because Saint Peter cried, and from his tears, plants and fruits sprouted, like a necklace. Its real name is sakpahe – almost white corn.] The bride is named Chanuk, and the groom is K’in.”

Raymundo López | Social division

Oil on canvas
1 x 0.70 m
2017

“This piece represents the social division of San Andrés Larráinzar, using the metaphor of chess. Previously, it was a more united town, but politics can divide a community. This began with the armed uprising of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, and now the town is split into two: the PRI supporters on the government side and the autonomous group on the side of the EZLN.

As chess pieces, I show the characters of the town: its authorities, musicians, lieutenants, captains, ritual counselors, and artisans.”

“La división social”

Kayúm Ma'ax | The Jaguar Plane

Oil on canvas
100 x 80 cm
2019

“The Lacandon Maya, a long time ago, didn’t know this machine. It came near their house, near their village. The jaguar plane came, they were scared, they said, ‘It’s a jaguar.’ They didn’t believe it. They didn’t know this thing at that time. ‘G9619’: I wrote it down on a plane that was left in the mountain because it crashed a long time ago. I wasn’t there (about 70 years ago). The family got scared, they said it was a jaguar.”

“El avión jaguar”

Maruch Sántiz | Chamula Woman

Photograph on cotton
0.80 x 0.62 m

“She is the martoma, wife of the martoma [a religious position given to them in Chamula].”

Raymundo López | Social division

Oil on canvas
1 x 0.70 m
2017

“This piece represents the social division of San Andrés Larráinzar, using the metaphor of chess. Previously, it was a more united town, but politics can divide a community. This began with the armed uprising of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, and now the town has split into two: the PRI supporters on the government side and the autonomous group on the side of the EZLN.

As chess pieces, I depict the characters of the town: its authorities, musicians, lieutenants, captains, ritual counselors, and artisans.”

“La división social”

Raymundo López | The San Andrés Accords

Oil on canvas
0.70 x 0.53 m
2016

“It was in the center of my town where the San Andrés Accords were signed, an agreement between the Mexican government and the Zapatistas to end the war. These accords were largely disregarded by the government afterward, but nevertheless, they are still valid for the movement.

A lot of things happened to me while painting this work; many painful memories from the past and present resurfaced. I paint the crouching child – as I felt at that moment – being mistreated by another worker, as are the government’s agents. For example, I was mistreated by teachers for being Zapatista; and also by my non-Zapatista classmates. In that sense, I see my work not just as a painting, but as a life process that accompanies me and allows me to keep speaking about what hurts and what brings me joy. I cannot represent my town in painting without touching on the long struggles to defend our people and our land.”

Antún Kojtom | Metal Vulture

Oil on canvas
100 x 100 cm
2017

“The character emerged from the first figure that was seen, and it wanted to scare away the planes, because the plane is an omen of bad things. In Tzeltal, we say ‘xulem tak’in’ – metal vulture – for the plane.”

“Dueño de la tierra”
"Madre maíz II"

Antún Kojtom | Mother Corn II

Acrylic on canvas
1.20 x 0.60 m
2015

“It is my vision of corn, in its glory, as the mother who protects us and the world. Its strength is shown in times of the full moon; it is the support of my people [from Tenejapa].”

“Today, corn is being more commercialized. In this painting, I depict Mother Corn, imagining her with a bag hanging from her arm. I reflect on all the changes that have been made to turn corn into a product subject to the market.”

Saúl Kak | The Nest

Acrylic on canvas
50 x 60cm
2018

You can observe at the top the tractor. It is the symbol of the discourse of modernity and dispossession. There is also a bird’s nest, representing our territory and the space where we live. There is a resistance of the people, symbolized in the image of the ajtitan (dancer) and the crocodile. The corn cobs flying are the ones that defend life. It was once believed that the corn cobs, beans, and other plants could fly, but when people began to misbehave (sin), they started to pay. From that point on, they stopped flying.

“Coordenadas urgentes”

Juan Chawuk | Urgent Coordinates

Acrylic on canvas
167 x 225 cm
2019

And the sea trembles in concerts of energies, time flies, taking notes, cover me with flags to strengthen human achievements, so that the limits of infinity are felt in every contemplation.

Carlos de la Cruz | Uncertainty

Oil and acrylic on canvas
1 x 1 m
2016

“Every day life pushes us toward globalization, and with this, we forget the value of local work and production, as well as the effort this entails. This increasingly entangles us in the realm of buying and selling in supermarkets and international companies.

“In Uncertainty, the desperation of rural society is reflected. When their products are rejected in sales, the girl is exhausted and sad because, for today, and perhaps for many more days, there will be no money to support the economy. It invites us to foster and practice the local consumption of our products, both natural and handmade crafts.”

carlos

Maruch Méndez | Yajval vo (Owner of the Water)

Acrylic on canvas
65 x 45 cm
2020

“He is the lord of the water, he is an angel. There are some birds next to him, called ‘k’ul.’ The angel gives instructions to the birds. When the clouds are dark, when they are filled with water, he gives the birds instructions, and they begin to sing loudly. Also, when there is heavy mist, the devils wake up. That’s why it’s important to take care of young children.”

Genaro Sántiz | Time Blooms

Photograph on cotton paper
18 x 35 pulgadas
2014

Composite photograph on paper, appropriation of the work by master Vicente Kramsky, made in 1965.

"El tiempo florece"
"Melodia nostálgica"

Marco Girón | Tenejapa

Composite photograph on paper, appropriation of the work by master Vicente Kramsky, made in 1970.
8 x 10 pulgadas
2014

“I made the collage of the photo of Master Kramsky – the musicians – and the thoughtful person upright. In fact, that man is one of the last living traditional musicians still alive today.”

Gerardo K'ulej | Self-awareness

Wood and stone
2017

“From the subatomic particle to the galaxy, they are part of a complex mathematical structural framework.

Perhaps for the Mayans, mathematics was a divine manifestation of the universe. By understanding this complexity, they were able to achieve mathematical advancement, with the invention of zero. Zero was not seen as the representation of emptiness, but as the perception of something deeper, like a repetitive cycle within nature. Within the attractions of zero, one finds the shell of a snail and the shape of a flower.”

Experimentos en diálogos interculturales
“La ofrenda de la iglesia”

P.T'ul Gómez | The offering of the church

Terracotta and natural dye
2019

This passage beautifully describes the traditional and deeply spiritual role of the martoma in the community, focusing on their responsibility to care for the saints in the church of San Andrés. The martoma is not only a caretaker of the saints but also a central figure in upholding and passing on the local traditions.

The feast and the sacrifice of the bull symbolize unity and faith, as well as a shared commitment to the continuation of cultural practices. The rituals associated with the martoma are about more than just the logistics of hosting a celebration; they are an expression of the ongoing relationship between the community, its traditions, and the divine.

The imagery of the martoma dressed in traditional clothing and being guided through the ceremony emphasizes the deep connection to heritage, while the three-day gathering is a period of collective effort, with each individual in the community contributing their part—whether it’s cooking, carrying water, praying, or dancing. This process is a shared experience of labor, celebration, and spiritual devotion, which reinforces the community’s sense of unity and continuity.

The “stains” on the bull are a potent metaphor, symbolizing the blending of energies during the sacrificial act, possibly referring to the spiritual and social convergence that takes place in these sacred and communal rituals.

Säsäknichim Martínez | Tanchak (The Carnival of Huixtán)

Photography

The Tsotsil Huixteco carnival is known as tan chak. This term comes from a compound word made up of two terms: tan meaning “ash, dust,” and chak meaning “backside, buttocks.” An approximation of the meaning in Spanish would be “those with the whitewashed, ash-covered bodies.”

PH Joel | National Currency

Acrylic on canvas
54.5 cm
2016

“I express a critical view of the economy and how marginalized communities are subjected to it, through the exchange of services and products via the value of currency. The child represents the child population that suffers all the effects of this economic crisis without the right to choose the situation in which they live. The coin I depicted is the reverse side of a one peso coin, and I question its true value in relation to the vital needs of a child, such as the act of eating.”

Antonia Girón | Molino

Photography
0.26 x 0.47 cm

It shows an artifact that is widely used in indigenous villages to grind corn.

 

"De la serie Trabajo, jugueteo y violencia", Antonia Girón
"De la serie Trabajo, jugueteo y violencia", Juana López

Juana López | Atomizer shadow

Photography
26 x 47 cm

Feliciana Ramírez | Maize woman

Sculture
25 x 40 cm
2015

“When I was a little girl, there used to be a beautiful cornfield, but now only a few people plant.

We would go to shell the corn. Before, the plants were very big; there were three or four ears of corn per plant. Before, there was no liquid fertilizer, just using a hoe. The earth was gathered, and when the corn was in bloom, it would grow very large.

Now it doesn’t grow well; it’s small. The liquid fertilizer burns the soil. Before, they planted beans, and they grew abundantly, but now they don’t. The beans grow, but with worms.

The corn and beans are very original. They ask God to give them plenty of corn; that’s why they have a place for the candle.”

Mujer jaguar con niño