Chronicle of Mexico
At the end of November 2024, the artist Alejandro Galván (Mexico, 1990) will commence a painted chronicle of Mexico from the perspective of one of the largest working class suburbs. The artist resides in Nezahualcóyotl, at the outskirts of Mexico City, a place in which political neglect and violence issues have configured the social panorama. His often highly detailed paintings blend realism with mythology, narrating his experiences growing up in this environment, and depicting the corruption of the Mexican state and police. His influences are drawn from comic books, television and heavy metal, sources that set him apart from the prevailing, more minimalist and conceptual style in Mexican contemporary art.
Vivid dream
The artist, holding Mexican politics and corruption responsible for the widespread violence and injustice in society, will paint the entire house of Marres in an attempt, as he writes, to outline a vivid dream of Mexican society. In doing so, he poses the following questions: How can we incorporate the most unique chapters of our history into a global narrative? How can we realize that our traumas and sufferings are shared, and that perhaps solving and overcoming global issues is a path that must be collectively trodden? With his work, Alejandro Galván aims to demonstrate that he and his fellow residents of Nezahualcóyotl are not ‘marginalized’ or ‘forgotten,’ but simply belong to a group of people with an unheard story. A story that shares fundamental similarities with the tales of people from other countries, cities, villages, or even times. The reason Galván paints is that he does not want any story to be lost.
Integral installation
Vultures & Fireflies will be on show from Mar 13 to Aug 31, 2025. To create his monumental exhibition, the artist will already start working in Marres from November onwards. Leading up to the grand opening on March 15, several events will take place where visitors can get a glimpse into the making process. The work will see its completion in June 2025, which will be celebrated with a second opening.
Curators
Tonatiuh López, Laura Martinez
Keep an eye on this website and our socials for updates regarding this monumental project of Alejandro Galván at Marres. Follow us at @marres_maastricht
Special opening hours and days
The exhibition runs from March 13 to August 31, 2025, but for a sneak preview into the artistic process, Marres will open every Saturday starting in February.
Starting 13 March, 2025, Marres will be open again during its regular opening hours: Tuesday—Sunday, 12:00—17:00.
Saturday Sneak Peeks
Witness this unique monumental work in progress by Alejandro Galvan. The first floor of Marres will look different every week. You can donate based on the pay what you can principle.
Dates: 1 Feb – 8 Feb – 15 Feb – 22 Feb – 1 Mar – 8 Mar 2025
Time: 12:00—17:00
Location: Marres, Maastricht
Friday Night Opening: Valentine’s Special
How to Mend a Broken Heart
On Valentine’s eve, Marres is open for lovers, friends, and (solo) daters! Enjoy a special program where art and science come together and get an extra sneak peek of the exhibition Vultures & Fireflies. In collaboration with HeAart Ma’at, MUMC+, CARIM, and Pulseday.
Date: Friday, 14 February, 2025
Time: 18:00—21:00
Location: Marres, Maastricht
Entrance is completely free
Festive opening part 1: Vultures
Please join us for the opening of Vultures & Fireflies.
Date: Saturday 15 March
Time: 17:00
Location: Marres, Maastricht
Free admission
Storytelling Night
With the storytelling of Alejandro Galván in mind, we invite you to gather around a campfire in Marres’ intimate city garden and share their your story—stories that should not be lost. Fact or fiction, it doesn’t matter, as long as they help connect people through oral history. They may even be told in different languages, celebrating the richness of diverse voices and perspectives.
Date: Tuesday 25 March, 2025
Time: 19:00—21:00
Location: Marres, Maastricht
Free admission or donate based on the pay what you can principle
Friday Night Openings
Starting March 21, Marres will have extended hours every Friday evening! From 17:00 to 20:00, you can drop by with free admission. Explore the current exhibition and bring your friends, family, or date for a cultural start to your night out.
Date: Every Friday evening until 29 August, 2025
Time: 17:00 – 20:00 (open from 12:00)
Location: Marres, Maastricht
Free admission from 17:00
Museum Night Maastricht
Fiesta de México – Immerse yourself in Mexican atmospheres! Come and see the Vultures & Fireflies exhibition, enjoy Mexican snacks and drinks, and take part in a workshop by our youth department, Extended.
Date: Friday 11 April
Time: 20:00—0:00
Location: Marres, Maastricht
Get your tickets via museumnachtmaastricht.nl
Festive opening part 2: Fireflies
Please join us for the opening of the fully completed exhibition Vultures & Fireflies.
Date: Saturday 28 June
Time: 17:00
Location: Marres, Maastricht
Free admission
Making of
Artist Alejandro Galván talks about his work, Nezahualcóyotl, political neglect and corruption of the Mexican state, and telling unheard stories.
Video: Hout Video
Exhibition Overview
Biography
Alejandro Galván (Mexico, 1990) graduated from the National School of Painting, Sculpture, and Engraving (ENPEG) La Esmeralda. Focusing on drawing and painting, he blends landscapes of desolation, deterioration, and neglect from the outskirts of Mexico City and other peripheral areas. His works weave together fragments collected from crime news, portraits of his family and neighbors, ghosts invoked from Baroque hunting paintings, medieval bestiaries, 20th-century American realism, Catholic imagery, manga, and comics. By merging these elements, he creates a striking visual narrative—one that reflects the world’s decay while expressing a deep, almost apocalyptic longing for something new.
Galván has participated in a series of exhibitions. He was part of the FONCA Young Creators program (2020-2021) and was included in the Young Mexican Prize 2020 selection promoted by the UK Mexican Art Society in London, England. In 2021, he was invited by No Man’s Art Gallery to undertake a residency in Amsterdam, Netherlands, culminating with his first solo show, Lejano de todas partes (Far from Everywhere), during Amsterdam Art Week 2022. He has participated in several art fairs, including Contemporary Istanbul, Salón ACME 2022, Zona Maco 2023, and Zona Maco 2024, being recognized in the latter as one of the best young proposals by ARTNews. In October 2023, he held his first solo show in Mexico City: Megapolisomancia, with Galería Furiosa. Recently, he participated in Tan-Tan’s residency program in Guadalajara, Jalisco, concluding with the exhibition Lugar donde los escombros tienen dientes (A Place Where the Rubble Has Teeth).
Galván lives and works in Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, in the State of Mexico, where he regularly organizes art workshops for vulnerable youth.
Artist talk
On December 13, 2024, an artist talk with Alejandro Galván took place at Marres.
In June 2025, a second artist talk will take place, offered in Spanish and Dutch.
Vultures & Fireflies in the press
Press
The Invisible Collection
Eline Willaert is a word artist, theater maker and actor. Willaert talks about the work ‘Pantitlan Paradero’ by the Mexican artist Alejandro Galván. From March 13 to August 31, 2025, Galván’s monumental exhibition ‘Vultures & Fireflies’ will be on display at Marres in Maastricht. Eline Willaert’s story is also available in Dutch.
The Invisible Collection focuses on people’s stories about their favorite artwork. It is an online art collection that you cannot see but can hear. Marres harvests stories in which people of all ages and backgrounds share their art experiences.
You can also listen to the Marres podcast ‘Sensing Art, Training the Body’ on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Partners / thanks to
Thanks to No Man’s Art Gallery, Amsterdam
Tonatiuh López, Emmelie Koster, Lih-Lan Wong, Patricia Serna, Héctor Madó, Israel Villalobos, Erandi López, Luis Urbina, Adelina Jiménez, Justo López, Nacho y Luna, Eugenia Hernández, María Solis, Carlos Galván, Jocelyn Solís. Alberto Gutiérrez Chong, José Luis Sánchez Rull, Vicente Razo, Sander Claes, Museo Universitario del Chopo, Didianne Leusink, Ralf Nevels, and Bas de Weerd.
Marres receives structural support from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Province of Limburg and the Municipality of Maastricht.
