Zélika García on ZSONAMACO and Mexico’s Contemporary Art Scene
Zélika García
Mara Sartore – More than twenty years ago, you founded ZSONAMACO at a moment when many doubted the existence of a contemporary art market in Mexico. What convinced you that this was a risk worth taking?
Zélika García – More than proving whether a market existed, what was evident was the presence of an active artistic community that lacked a professional and consistent platform. There were artists, galleries, collectors, and institutions, but no space that could clearly connect them with continuity and international projection. The risk made sense because the gap was real, and because the project was conceived from a long-term perspective, understanding that a market is built over time, through sustained work and trust.
MS – Over the years, Mexico—particularly Mexico City—has become a key reference point for contemporary art in Latin America and beyond. How do you see ZSONAMACO’s role in this transformation?
ZG – ZSONAMACO has acted as a starting point. From the fair, what we now know as Art Week gradually took shape: a convergence of agendas that activates museums, galleries, foundations, and independent spaces. This articulation has given Mexico City a different level of visibility and positioned it as a relevant node within the international circuit, not only because of the fair itself, but because of the collective strength of everything that happens around it.
MS – Today the art world is shaped by an abundance of fairs, art weeks, and parallel events. In this expanded landscape, what do you believe is the role of the art fair today, and how can it remain meaningful?
ZG – Keeping a fair relevant involves much more than visibility. It requires constant care in a world that is changing and increasingly demanding. A fair must offer context, generate trust, and adjust to the present without losing clarity. At ZSONAMACO, we understand the fair as an ecosystem that engages with its time. Today, we work closely with Always Art to extend the experience into a digital environment, using technology as a tool to expand reach, facilitate the circulation of artworks, and accompany new market dynamics, without replacing the in-person experience.
MS – ZSONAMACO has remained central to the international art calendar for over two decades. How have you approached renewal and reinvention, and what distinguishes this year’s edition?
ZG – Renewal has been a continuous process. Each edition is built with the participation of curators and specialists who bring current perspectives on what is happening in the art world. It is not about repeating formats, but about adding readings that respond to the moment. This edition integrates the curatorship of Aimé Iglesias Lukin in ZSONAMACO EJES, a section that places exchange at its core, understanding art as a space of movement, encounter, and dialogue within a complex global context. This is complemented by ZSONAMACO FORMA, a new initiative that connects art, design, and collectible objects, responding to the ways in which collecting practices and relationships with artworks continue to expand.
MS – Your professional path began as an artist. How has this background influenced your vision of the fair and your relationship with artists and artistic production?
ZG – Being an artist gives you a very clear understanding of creative processes and timeframes. That experience shapes how the fair is conceived: not only as a space for sales, but as a platform that must create professional conditions, respect processes, and support the long-term work of artists and galleries.
MS – Finally, as someone who has played a key role in shaping Mexico City’s art ecosystem, are there places—galleries, institutions, or lesser-known spaces—that you feel best capture the city’s creative spirit and that you would recommend to visiting art lovers?
ZG – Mexico City is best understood through collaboration. From the beginning, museums, cultural institutions, and galleries have joined the fair and, together with it, have built ZSONAMACO Art Week that has become a true celebration of art. Visiting museums, exploring galleries, attending openings, and discovering independent spaces helps explain why this week feels like a cultural festival: it is the result of collective work that has consolidated the city as a vibrant, diverse, and constantly evolving place.
