Since opening in April of 2013, Lulu has hosted a multitude of projects intended to contribute to the conversation around contemporary art in Mexico City. Founded by Martin Soto Climent and Chris Sharp, Lulu’s critically engaged solo and group exhibitions were until recently mounted in a modest, nine-square-meter space.
For three years, Lulu proved that having a big impact is not predicated on having a big space, but rather on the quality of the content within its walls. Regardless of its size, Lulu has been ambitious, adding an important voice to Mexico City’s contemporary art scene. A very recent decision to expand the gallery resulted in the addition of twelve square meters located next door. The gallery now comprises two exhibition spaces that will operate in tandem.
The new Lulu is a garage space located on the same street — an exact replica of the original space. It’s a tongue-in-cheek move, one in keeping with the sense of humor that Lulu has long maintained, and which is amplified by a solo exhibition of work by Manfred Pernice, who has fabricated four sculptures made of the cheapest particle board that can be sourced in Mexico. The four sculptures are reminiscent of elements taken from the urban landscape of the city, but the humor really resides in their placement within the space itself. All four of them are lined up in a row, very nearly impeding access to the gallery. In the second space, Pernice built a kind of ball game, once again using inexpensive materials.
Lulu’s expansion is another example of its growing aspirations within modest means. Here the attention still remains focused on the art, rather than the need to build out a massive space. Even in growth, Lulu maintains its original identity.
