‘Everybody’s Watching Mexico but Not Always Listening’

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It is easy to miss BODEGA. Tucked away in Colonia Doctores, near the iconic 1950s Arena México, where popular weekly wrestling matches take place, it has no visible sign, and, with no other galleries in sight, the setup elicits a certain intrigue. Crates, wooden frames, and wrapped artworks greet me at the entrance, while at the end of a dimly lit corridor, a large storage area filled with over 8,000 artworks—some belonging to OMR’s collection, others in transit or fresh from the studios of artists like Pia Camil—leads to an exhibition of Cuban artist Dalton Gata.

BODEGA is OMR’s recently opened project space in Mexico City, a ten-minute drive from their flagship venue in Colonia Roma, and now boasts Agustina Ferreyra as artistic director. The 43 year old, who also joins the established Mexican gallery as one of its directors, is a significant figure in the Latin American art scene, having managed her eponymous gallery for a decade—first in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and later Mexico City. She also participated in joint projects like Kurimanzutto’s Siembra (2020–2021) and has curated numerous exhibitions of artists from the region, including one of Mexico’s pioneering woman sculptors, Geles Cabrera, along with Puerto Rican Cris Tufiño and Argentinian Tobías Dirty. Ferreyra’s international reach, meanwhile, is reflected through her role in the selection committee of the New Art Dealers Alliance and Art Basel Miami Beach.

Expanding Locally, Resonating Globally

Ferreyra’s addition to OMR reflects the rapid expansion of the over 40-year-old, family-owned gallery, particularly in recent years, which includes the 2022 opening of LagoAlgo, a cultural centre in Chapultepec, and now BODEGA. It’s a strategy in alignment with creative approaches galleries worldwide are adopting to enhance their reach. But unlike other cases, OMR emphasises local growth with global resonance, aligning it with Mexico City’s evolving cultural landscape. 

‘What makes this moment unique is the coexistence of long-standing cultural ecosystems with a newer wave of artists, spaces and collectors,’ Ferreyra told Ocula. ‘Mexico City offers a complexity and vitality that’s hard to replicate—rooted in history, but engaged with the urgencies of the present.’ 

BODEGA: A Playful, Unconventional Exhibition Space

In 2019, OMR acquired the Colonia Doctores storage facility, which features a viewing room previously used in-house and for two group shows. However, during Mexico City’s last art week, OMR collaborated with Ferreyra’s gallery for a joint show of Argentinian artist Ad Minoliti, likely exploring the possibility of a more lasting partnership.

Ferreyra sees the new Colonia Doctores space as an opportunity to ‘hold space for experimentation without the usual pressure of constant market validation’.

‘BODEGA is a chance to be a bit irreverent, a bit playful—and still deadly serious about what we show.’ 

Ferreyra’s second BODEGA show saw her partner again with longtime collaborator Gata, whose La Fiesta y las Fieras recreates a fully furnished atmosphere filled with large-scale paintings featuring enigmatic creatures and lush fruits exuding energy and sensuality. 

‘Dalton’s show is many things I love about art: it’s seductive, disorienting, and wildly resistant to being pinned down … I want shows that leave you wondering whether you’re the viewer or the subject. Dalton gets that instinctively.’

BODEGA’s location in Colonia Doctores—a district that is also home to experimental art venue Laguna and young gallery Llano—but that is away from the main hubs of Condesa and Roma, and its unconventional setup comes with risks Ferreyra embraces. The same spirit defines her practice: curious, risk-embracing, and laced with humour. 

‘In a city that tends to orbit the same three neighborhoods, just choosing to open a programme in Doctores is already a small disruption. It’s not about gentrification or heroic gestures—it’s about taking a risk in a space that doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not.’ 

Latin America’s Art Scene: ‘Survival. Visibility. Integrity.’

Ferreyra has over 18 years of experience as a dealer and curator, often traveling across countries and with 100 exhibitions under her belt.

When asked about galleries’ role these days, she considers they should not pretend to be ‘neutral actors’, and instead acknowledge their reach or stance. 

‘At their best, galleries are accomplices—active agents in shaping discourse, not just echoing it. The most relevant ones to me have always been the ones willing to take risks, defend positions, and complicate the narrative.’

And on the current state of Latin America’s art scene, where she has carved a name for herself as an advocate of the region’s emerging artists: ‘There’s more money, fewer illusions … Some things feel extremely old and tired and others are still fresh and exciting.’

In the Latin American art scene, a paradox remains. Ferreyra said there is a ‘massive creative energy in a context that’s structurally stacked against it. We adapt. We hustle. We burn out. Then we do it again,’ she shared while hinting at what is at stake: 

‘Survival. Visibility. Integrity.’

Mexico City: ‘We’re Both Muse and Market Now’

Even before relocating her gallery to the Mexican capital in 2018, Ferreyra had witnessed its transformation firsthand, having lived there for over a decade. She views the recent proliferation of art fairs and independent spaces, along with the country’s increasing presence in global events, as both exciting and complex. 

‘Mexico City’s art scene has become a key player in shaping global conversations—not just as a hub of production and creativity, like it’s been since the 1990s, but as a site of projection, desire, and speculation,’ she said.

‘International interest is at an all-time high, yet there’s still a disconnect between visibility and understanding.’ 

It’s a situation that sees Mexico City’s art scene play two roles: ‘We’re both muse and market now.’

Ferreyra sees the potential for healthy cultural growth lies in projects with more meaningful resonance. ‘The question is: What kind of growth do we want?’ 

‘If we continue investing in infrastructures that are not only commercially viable but also culturally and socially resonant, we can build a future that sustains artistic risk, experimentation, and critical thinking, which is fundamental for growth.’

She also emphasised institutional support is essential in a city where ‘structural challenges remain’.

Her new role may signal this direction, with no sign of slowing down. Shortly after Gata’s opening, Ferreyra traveled to ArPa São Paulo to present Ad Minoliti’s work.

At BODEGA, the exhibition of Mexican artist Ángel Cammen, opening on 4 September 2025, will continue the programming of a hybrid space that infuses fresh air into the local scene and offers a discreet yet intimate behind-the-scenes peek into the gallery.

Ferreyra’s words are timely: ‘That’s where the real potential lies—not in the spotlight itself, but in what we choose to illuminate with it.’ —[O]

Dalton Gata: La Fiesta y Las Fieras is on view at BODEGA x OMR, Mexico City, until 18 July 2025.

Main image: Exhibition view: Dalton Gata, La Fiesta y Las Fieras, BODEGA x OMR, Mexico City (22 May–18 July 2025). Courtesy the artist and OMR. Photo: © Ramiro Chaves.