National Gallery Receives Major Work from Mexican Government
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, “Listen to the World, Volute 2,” 2023, polished cast aluminum, 118" (photo courtesy of the National Gallery of Canada)
The National Gallery of Canada has received a work entitled Listen to the World, Volute 2 by Mexican-Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. The work is a donation from Fundación Jumex Arte Contemporáneo on behalf of the country of Mexico, to commemorate Canada's 150th anniversary and more than 80 years of diplomatic relations between Canada and Mexico.
The artwork is on view now in the National Gallery’s rotunda and on May 8, the artist will give a free talk about his artistic practice at the gallery.
The new work is the second by the Montreal-based artist to be added to the National Gallery's collection. It is a three-dimensional model of a laser-tomography scan and represents air exhaled from a person’s mouth when saying the words “listen to the world.”
“We are grateful for this gift from Mexico, and on behalf of all Canadians, thank you for entrusting us to present it in our building. Our countries share diplomatic relations since 1944, characterized by deep people-to-people ties, rich cultural connections and growing trade and investment; Rafael Lozano-Hemmer is the perfect artist to embody this fruitful bilateral relationship,” said Jean-François Bélisle, the National Gallery's Director and CEO, in a news release.
“In these unprecedented divisive times, Canada and Mexico come together to recognize the strong relations between the two countries with the unifying and transformative power of art.”
“In honour of Canada’s 150th celebration and to commemorate the longstanding 81-year-old bilateral relation between Canada and Mexico, this donation is a testament of the friendship that binds both nations and an enduring reminder of our common values and our mutual understanding through art and innovation,” said Carlos Manuel Joaquín González, Ambassador of Mexico to Canada, in the release.
Source: National Gallery of Canada
