Have a Seat: Mexican Chair Design Today

Have a Seat: Mexican Chair Design Today is an interactive exhibition featuring three historical artworks, 17 contemporary seats designed by 22 Mexican artists, and a site-specific art installation.

​​Through their pioneering designs, the artists in Have a Seat embark on a journey through history and traditions, exploring the enduring legacy of the cross-cultural world that emerged in Mexico following the Spanish conquest, which incorporated elements of Indigenous, Asian, African, and European cultures and continues to inspire new types of objects and furniture for the 21st century. Have a Seat showcases furniture by contemporary Mexican designers represented in the museum’s permanent collection, including Andrés Lhima, Cecilia León de la Barra, Daniel Valero, Bárbara Sánchez-Kane, Jorge Diego Etienne, and many more.

Have a Seat invites visitors to learn about the connection between contemporary Mexican design and ancient and colonial artistic practices. Hands-on interactions throughout the exhibition will encourage visitors to sit on and move selected chairs and seats, offering the tools to identify the ancient, colonial, and mid-century modern influences. Visitors will also have the opportunity to design their own digital chair, using software especially developed for the exhibition, and share it over a large screen in the gallery.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website