Born in 1959 in Antwerp, Francis Alÿs is an artist of Belgian origin who has established his creative base in Mexico.
Venturing into the intersection of art, architecture, and social engagement, Alÿs’ artistic journey began as an architect but took a different path in 1986 when he moved to Mexico City, where he currently resides and crafts his works. His portfolio is a rich tapestry of artistic expressions and performance art, all delving into the complexities of urban tensions and global politics. His artistic medium spans a wide spectrum, ranging from traditional painting to captivating performance pieces. In these creations, he masterfully explores the delicate balance between the realms of politics and poetics, individual initiative and powerlessness. One of his notable practices is the execution of “paseos”—strolls that challenge the constriction of shared spaces.
Central to Alÿs’ creative ethos are the notions of cyclical repetition and the mechanics of progression and regression. He skillfully intertwines these themes with the geological and technological aspects of time. This fusion manifests through his land-based and socially-oriented practices, aimed at deciphering individual memories and collective myths. An intriguing hallmark of his work is his incorporation of rumors as a pivotal tool. He disseminates transient, practice-centered pieces through oral communication and storytelling, allowing his art to transiently flutter in the realm of whispered tales. Documenting children’s games for an extended period has also been an integral facet of his oeuvre.
Alÿs’ artistry encompasses an array of mediums. While he once predominantly undertook the actions himself, he has shifted his focus over the past decade, casting children as the primary protagonists in his endeavors. These public enactments are captured through the lenses of video, installations, paintings, and drawings. Throughout his artistic evolution, Francis Alÿs has consistently channeled his unique poetic and imaginative sensibilities into anthropological and geopolitical reflections, rooted in his keen observations of and interactions with everyday life. As he aptly phrases it, his body of work is akin to “a sort of discursive argument composed of episodes, metaphors, or parables.”