Calderón, Miguel
Miguel Calderón is considered a seminal figure in Mexico's independent art scene. His works often combine a dark sense of humor that reconfigures into pieces exploring profound social and personal territories, using what he has at hand to create low-budget films and videos. His multidisciplinary practice focuses on exploring power relationships, both in interpersonal (often familial) dynamics and between various societal groups. He draws satirical portraits—always with respectful consideration towards marginalized figures—that describe Mexico's class society, defined by rigid hierarchies. His work is often unified by a persistent sense of theatricality, questioning the fine line between reality and fiction. Frequently adopting the perspective of an outsider, he highlights the macabre complexity of our human condition in the universe, skillfully intertwining mockery, social critique, and direct emotions. Calderón creates works from a blend of vernacular references, using various media such as video, photography, sculpture, and painting.
Calderón studied Fine Arts at the San Francisco Art Institute. He has been part of the Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation Grant & Commissions program (2013), and received The MacArthur Fellowship for Film and New Media (2000) and the Bancomer/Rockefeller Fellowship (1995).
Miguel Calderón lives and works in Mexico City.
