Carlos Barrera Reyes

Carlos Barrera Reyes, originally from Mexico, is a multifaceted visual artist with a diversified approach in his work. His artistic practice spans a wide range of themes, from ethnography and archaeology to social, collaborative, and participatory art. His versatility is evident in the variety of formats and materials he has explored throughout his career. Carlos is known for his deep social commitment, which drives his work in the art of social interaction and education. He has always considered the central element of his artistic work to be his connection with diverse audiences and communities.

Carlos holds a degree in Commercial Relations from the Escuela Superior de Comercio y Administración of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional. He also has a specialization in Marketing (Strategy and Branding) from the School of Continuing and Professional Studies at New York University. During his time in New York, he collaborated in promoting Mexican art at the Mexican Cultural Institute, part of the Mexican Consulate. In 2006, he returned to Mexico to continue his training at the Antigua Academia de San Carlos and later pursued a postgraduate degree in Arts and Design at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), focusing on urban art.

In 2008, Carlos joined the team at the Dirección General de Programas Estratégicos of the Secretaría de Turismo de la Ciudad de México, managing, planning, and organizing public exhibitions. Alongside this role, he initiated a collaborative project with indigenous weaving communities in Chiapas, aiming to promote natural dye techniques through workshops. This project initially included three groups from Tenejapa, Venustiano Carranza, and Zinacantán. In 2011, he was promoted to Subdirector of Strategic Alliances at the Instituto de Promoción Turística, where he worked to promote Mexico City's tourism and culture nationally and internationally.

In 2013, driven by his interest in social projects, Carlos decided to fully dedicate himself to the Chiapas project, which expanded to include thirteen additional groups from Los Altos and thirteen from Oaxaca. In 2017, he was invited by the Na Bolom Museum to collaborate on the textile collection from the Altos de Chiapas, focusing on its preservation and dissemination, for which he was selected as a grantee by FONCA under the Programa de Fomento a Proyectos y Coinversiones Culturales, 34th edition (2018). That same year, he was invited to join the Plumaria de México project, aimed at reproducing the feather art techniques of ancient Mesoamerica.

In 2020, Carlos received a grant from Los Amigos del Arte Popular to continue the natural dye workshops in Los Altos de Chiapas. Currently, he serves as a professor in the Graduate Studies Division at the Faculty of Arts and Design, UNAM, where he is also pursuing a PhD in Visual Arts. Carlos has participated in several collective visual art exhibitions, with his work included in prestigious collections such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). His work has been recognized for its innovative approach, blending traditional and contemporary techniques, and is noted for its ability to build bridges between art and the community.