Barry Wolfryd

Barry Wolfryd

Barry Wolfryd was born in Los Angeles, California but he has conducted the major part of his artistic career in Mexico, where he has lived for the last 40 years. The influences of sixties music from Dylan to Frank Zappa and the New York art scene inspired Wolfryd to carry out his first creative trials. These experiences developed an ideological base that he would bind with the culture by means of historic consciousness and social critique. Wolfryd began his artistic studies in 1972 at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S.A. At 22 years of age he moved to Mexico, arriving in Cholula, Puebla and commencing his studies at the Universidad of the Americas. In 1975 he enrolled at the Instituto Allende in San Miguel Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico. In 1982 he studied at the Chicago Art Institute and in 1984 at the National Institute for the Arts in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

 In 1985 he moved to Mexico City where he broadened his artistic activities.  He was present during the earthquake of September 19 of that year. From this tragedy artist and art in Mexico took a historical turn of events. Wolfryd became an active player in the new vision and dynamic that overtook the “Nopal Curtain”, established by the previous generation of artist such as Cuevas and Tomayo.

 By 1986 he had his first major individual exhibition and began to participate in national and international exhibitions in Mexico City, Chicago, Dallas, San Antonio, Los Angeles, New York City, and Rome.

 In 1987, he started collaborating with Salon dés Aztecas, an artistic group who established a break with the dominant trends of the visual arts in Mexico by taking public spaces and buildings to transform them in collective intervention projects. “The Taking of Balmori”, “El Ruele” and “El Vizcaina” were just a few of these projects.

 He founded in 1998 the experimental space Out Gallery, along with Salon dés Aztecs, La Zona and La Quiñonera, these spaces helped create one of the most dynamic artistic phenomena of Mexico City.

 During a season in Los Angeles, California (2005-2008), he opened a workshop at The Brewery, a conglomerate of more than 150 studies of artistic creators. There, by incorporating elements, icons and symbols of his hometown, his work took a new direction, with a political approach and anti consumerist issues.

 Between 2008 and 2011, back in Mexico, he created a new painting series, Stories in Shadows, Honey I’m Home and Transferences that documented interpersonal relationships, absurdities in life and the violence gripping the country, resulting from the activities of organized crime.

 In 2013 he finished a series of four large portable murals on canvas, wood panels and one in ceramic tile for a corporate group.

Wolfryd began in 2104 to produce glass sculptures both in Murano, Italy at Berengo Studios (Founder of Glass Stress) and at the Royal Glass Works in Segovia, Spain. In June 2019 he produced a series of paintings at Art House Holland residency. A new series of glass sculptures  were created at Berengo Studios in September , 2109.

 Since 1985 he has had 35 individual exhibitions and participated in more than 100 exhibitions in galleries and museums in the United States, South America, Japan, Mexico and Europe. Some of the exhibitions over the last ten years have been hosted by institutions such as Museo de Arte Contemporáneo en Vidrio de Alcorcón, (MAVA), Madrid, Spain (2018); Universidad de Leipzig, Alemania, (2018); The Mulberg Castle Gallery, Schloss Mülberg, Alemania (2018); Venice Glass Week, Venice, Italy (2018); Technology Museum, Real Fábrica de Cristales, Segovia, Spain (2017); José Luis Cuevas Museum, CdMx, Mexico (2017); Cultural Institute of Mexico, Guatemala, Guatemala (2017); Museum of El Carmen, CdMx, Mexico (2017); Museum of Modern Art, Trieste, Italy (2016); City Museum, Quito, Ecuador (2016); Cultural Forum of the Embassy of Mexico, Berlin, Germany (2016); Center Culturel du Mexique, Paris, France (2015); MEXCAT, Barcelona, Spain (2015); Instituto Cervantes, Tokyo, Japan (2015); Palazzo Costanzi, Sala Veruda, Trieste, Italy (2015); MIAA Museum, Frederiksaerk, Denmark (2014); Franz Mayer Museum, CdMx, Mexico (2014); Museo Arte Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico (2014); VI Miradas Bienal, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico (2014); X Bienal of Monterrey, Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso, CdMx, Mexico (2013); X Bienal of Monterrey, MARCO, Monterrey, Mexico (2012); Franz Mayer, CdMx, Mexico (2011); The Arocena Museum, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico (2010); The Thoreau Center, San Fransisco, Ca. (2008).

 The work has been reviewed by prominent curators and critics such as Jorge Juanes, Merry McMasters, Mónica Mayer, José Manuel Springer, Santiago Espinoza de los Monteros, Érik Castillo, John Mason Hart, Andrés de Luna, Luis Carlos Émerich, Luz Sepúlveda, Fernando Gálvez , Carlyn Aguilar, Luis Ramaggio and Sergio C. Fanjul.

Academic Studies 

1984  Painting and Drawing, National Arts Academy, San Luis Potosí, S.L.P., Mexico.

1982  Student al Large/Painting and Drawing, Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, Ills., USA.

1975-1978  B.F.A./Painting, Instituto Allende, San Miguel de Allende, Gto., Mexico.

1975  Painting/International Relations, Universidad de las Américas, Cholula, Pue., Mexico.
1972-1975  AA/Painting, Housatonic Community, Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA.

Individual exhibitions 

2021 BetweenHistories,SymbolsandReflections,ArtLatinouGallery,MexicoCity,Mexico 2018

2018  ControversialGlass,VeniceGlassWeek,GaleriaCastello,Venice,Italy.
Common Ground, MAVA, Museum of Contemporary Glass Art, Madrid, Spain.
I Don’t Know What Time It Is, Nudo Gallery, San Miguel de Allende, Gto., Mexico.

2017  CommonGround, MuseumofTechnology, RoyalGlassWorks,Segovia,Spain. Warnings, LaNave, ArgandadeRey,Spain.
Dangerous Objects, Gallery Maeo, Segovia, Spain.
Dangerous Objects, Museum of Mondern Art Ugo Carà, Trieste-Muggia, Italy.
Highlights, Isabelle Serrano Fine Art, Mexico City, Mexico.

2015  Dangerous Objects, The Black Hall Gallery, Puebla, Pue., México.

2014  S.O.S, 1919 Gallery/William Simon Gallery, Berlin, Germany.
2013  An Essay on Humor, Museum of Art Queretaro, Queretaro, Mexico.

2012  Don’t Trust Anyone Very Much, 1919 Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Honey I’m Home, Traeger & Pinto Contemporary Art, Mexico City, Mexico.

2011  Transference, Ethra Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
We all Start of The Same, WAPO Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.

2010  Stories in Shadow, Traeger & Pinto Contemporary Art, Mexico City, Mexico.

2008  Equations for A Life Style, The Conference Room, Los Angeles, Ca., USA.

2007  BetweenTwoWorlds,PublicArtsDepartment,PalmDesert,Ca.,USA.

2003  RecentWorks,GallerySohoCreative,NewYorkCity,NY,USA.

2002  Borders,GallerySohoCreative,NewYorkCity,NY,USA.

2000  AnimalCrackers,DuoDuoGallery,SanMigueldeAllende,Gto.,Mexico.
Recent Works, Gallery Soho Creative, New York City, NY, USA.

1998  CrazyStillLivesandLandscapes,TalentGallery,MexicoCity,Mexico.
Adventure of The Icons, Cultural Institute of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coah., México.
Baby Limbo, Gallery One-Two-Seven, Mexico City, Mexico.

1997  RecentWork,MarekFineArt,LosAngeles,Ca.,USA.

1996  ADecadeofWorkonPaper,MCAGallery,MexicoCity,Mexico.

1994  NewJersey-Aztec,SalondèsAztecasGallery,MexicoCity,Mexico.
Californa-Aztec, Robert ́s Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.

1992 RedMambo, Museum Home of Diego Rivera, Guanajuato, Gto., Mexico.
Red Mambo and Its Conflicts, Talento Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.

1990  ThroughParadise, exhibitionitinerary:
Hidalgo Cultural Center, Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico.
House of Culture, Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico.
Francisco Goitia Museum, Zacatecas, Zac., Mexico.
The Regional Direction for The Investigation and Formation of Culture, Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico.

1989  A Day in Marimbaland, Florencia Riestra Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.

1988  South of The Border, Read Stremmell Gallery, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

1987  Saints and Sinners, Art Forum Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.

1986  Life at Ground Zero, Los Talleres Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.

1985  Point of View, exhibition itinerary:
Spring Festival Potosino, Alianza Francesa, San Luis Potosí, S.L.P., Mexico.
Alianza Francesa, Mexico City, Mexico.

1978  One Man, One Show, Pergola Gallery, San Miguel de Allende, Gto., Mexico.

Group exhibitions

2022 Anthropos e Kainos, TAG Trevere galería, Roma, Italia
JUSTLX art fair, Art House Holland, Lisboan, Portugal

2021 01, First Exhibition, Magnolia Gallery, Mexico City. Mexico
Encierro, galería Salón des Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico
Avanti Gallery, Animals in Art, Aspen, Colorado, U.S.A.

2020 Figuratively Speaking, Claire Kidd Art Project, London, England
Durango Collective, Open Studios, Mexico City, Mexcio
Rock, Paper, Scissors, Proyecto Xaman, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.

2019 Time and Space, Art House Holland, Lieden, Holland
Aglomeraciones, Seminary for Mexican Culture, Mexico City, Mexico
Endemic vs. Global, Casa C.A.V.E., Trieste, Italia
National University of Mexico, Mexico City
El Aleph, Centro Cultural Universitario
From Earth to Heaven, 100 years of Rayuela, Chancellery Museum, Mexico City, Mexico

2018 Past, Present, Future, Salon dès Aztecas, Mexico City, Mexico.
Otherness, Exhibition itinerary: University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; AntresArtig Galerie,
Soligen, Germany; Brukenthal National Museum of Contemporary Art, Romania.
100 Artist, 100 Covers, Museum of the Americas, Madrid, Spain.

2017 Making the Body, Jose Luis Cuevas Museum, Mexico City, Mexico.
From Earth to Heaven, 100 years of Rayuela, Cultural Institute of Mexico, Guatemala City, Guatemala.

2016 Defensive Conduct, Museum of Science and Arts, Campeche, Mexico.
From Earth to Heaven, 100 years of Julio Cortázar, City Museum, Quito, Ecuador
Circa Mexico 2000, Cultural Center, Mexican Embassy, Berlin, Germany.
Intieror Knot, Art Cage, Mexico City, Mexico.

2015 Circa Mexico 2000, Centre Culturel du Mexique, Paris, France.
Darkness of Mexico, Cervantes Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Indecent Sensations, MEXCAT, Barcelona, Spain.
Without Inspection, Museum of Modern Art, Toluca, Mexico.
Next Stop, Estación Coyoacán Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.

2014 From Earth to Heaven, 100 years of Rayuela, Palais de Glace, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Mexico Circa 2000, MIAA Museum, Frederiksaerk, Denmark.
Messico Circa 2000, Le Scuderie al Castello di Miramare, Trieste, Italy.
VI Miradas Biennial, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.
Manos por México, exhibition itinerary: Franz Mayer Museum, Mexico City, Mexico. Pinacoteca de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico.
Small Formats, Stella Magni Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.

2013 X Monterrey Biennial, Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso, Mexico City, Mexico.
Zona Maco Art Fair, Mexico City, Mexico.
From Earth to Heaven, 50 years of Hop Scotch, Rosario Castellanos Cultural Center Bella Epoca, , Mexico City, Mexico.

2012 X Monterrey Biennial, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
Chilango Public Art, Mexico City, Mexico.
Zona Maco Art Fair, Mexico City, Mexico.
Art Today, MAQRO, Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico.

2011 About Ethics and Obscenity, La Quiñonera, Mexico City, Mexico.
Zona Maco Art Fair, Cholochair Project , Mexico City, Mexico
Contemporary Art, Salón dés Aztecas Colection, Contemporary Art Museum, San Luis Potosi, S.L.P., Mexico.
Draw, Pequeño Formato Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Throne of The Foot, Fototeca Juan Crisóstomo Méndez, Puebla, Mexico.
Billboards, Pi Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Our Cities, Our Future, Franz Mayer Museum, Mexico City, Mexico.

2010 Urban Calligraphy, City Museum, Mexico City, Mexico.
Preamble III, Arocena Museum, Torreon, Coahuila, México.
Taking of The President, Presidente Chapultepec Hotel, Mexico City, Mexico.
Group of Sixteen, Contemporary Art 2010, Hacienda de Los Morales, Mexico City, Mexico.
A Look at Public Art, Collection DeBas Group, Benito Juarez International Airport, Mexico City, Mexico.
Eco Periscope, Public art Object, Paseo de La Reforma, Mexico City, Mexico.

2009 In the Freezer, The Conference Room/IAO Projects, Park City, Utah, USA.
Beyond the Border, International Contemporary Art Fair, San Diego, CA., USA.
In Transit, Anza Falco Museum of Design, The Allen Center II, Houston, TX., USA.

2008  Meeting 2.0 Group Exhibition, Conference Gallery, Los Angeles, CA., USA.
Icons, Legends and Notorious Figures, Cactus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA., USA.
ReVisions 3, The Thoreau Center, San Francisco, CA., USA.
Skulls, Cactus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA., USA.

2007  Jesus Cancelled My Art Show, The Conference Room, Los Angeles, CA., USA.
Way of Life, Infusion Gallery, Los Angeles, Ca., USA.
Warhology, M Modern Gallery, Palm Springs, CA., USA.
Off The Wall 3, Eco Logical Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA., USA.

2006  Passion for Paper, Soho Creative Gallery, New York City, NY., USA.
The American Flag Show, The Hive Gallery, Los Angeles, CA., USA.
Six Artist Open Studios, Research Art Studios, Palm Springs, CA., USA.

2005  Cow Parade, Mexico City, Mexico.
Blast from the Past, M Modern Gallery, Palm Springs, Ca. USA.
Group Show, Soho Creative Gallery, New York City, NY., USA.

2003  Life to Death, Hacienda Patzcuaro, Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico.
Escaparate Awards, National Auditorium Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Group Show, Soho Creative Gallery, New York City, NY., USA.

2002  Art Now 2002, Technological Institute of Monterrey, Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Holi Art, Holoschutz Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Red Cross Auction, Mexico City, Mexico.
Six Figurative, Arte Joven Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.

2001  Tête-à-tête, Evonamor Palix Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Red Cross Auction, Mexico City, Mexico.
Small Format, Nomade Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
40 x 40, Out Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
The Last Generation of The Century, City Hall, Mexico City, Mexico.

1999 Graphic Visions, Experimental Printmaking Institute, Lafayette College, Penn., USA. Graphic Visions, Soho Creative Gallery, New York City, NY., USA.
Artists as Promoters, Out Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Virtual to Virtuoso, National Museum of Graphic Arts, Mexico City, Mexico.
Color and Humor, Out Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.

1998 Grand Opening, Out Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Tropical Workshop, Box 2 Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Mexico Today, Gallery 360, Toronto, Canada.
Installation, Painting & Action 98, Itatti Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Art & Mezcal, Out Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico. Books as Object and Art, National Library, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

1997 America: Artists at the End of The Millennium, The National Medical Center Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Vernissage, The Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
III Monterrey Biennial, Monterrey Museum of Fine Arts, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Cultural Encounter 97, International Expo of Contemporary Art, Rome, Italy. 

1996   January 96, The Lamm House Cultural Center, Mexico City, Mexico.
Homage to David Alfaro Siqueiros, Mexican Salon of Fine Arts, Mexico City, Mexico.
Beaux Arts, Dallas Museum of Fine Art, Dallas, Texas, USA.
The Power or Print, Hostos Center For The Arts & Culture, Bronx, NY., USA.
American Artists in Mexico, Cultural Center IEESA, Mexico City, Mexico.
Contemporary Mexico, Itatti Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.

1995  17 Dreams Exposed, Sueños Guajiros Restaurant, Mexico City, Mexico.
Maternity and Infancy, UNICEF-World Trade Center, Mexico City, Mexico.
Renaissance, Visual Talent Art Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Homage to Colosio, College of Economics, Mexico City, Mexico.
Gallery Invitational, The Workshop Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.

1994  January’s Inclination, Salon dès Aztecas Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
The Initiation of The Year, Milagros Contemporary Art, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Change and Permanence, Mexican Salon of Fine Art, Mexico City, Mexico.
Mexican Art: Images in The Century of AIDS, University of Colorado, Bolder, Colorado, USA.
IX Iberian American Biennial, Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City, Mexico.
II Monterrey Biennial, Monterrey Museum of Fine Arts, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico.
Wings to Fly, The Domestic Museum, Mexico City, Mexico.

1993 44 Anniversary of the National Salon of Fine Arts, Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City, Mexico.

1992  World Artist Day, Santa Teresa Cultural Center, Mexico City, Mexico.
VIII Iberian American Biennial, Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City, Mexico.

1991  Eros Tanatos, exhibition itinerary:
The Workshop Gallery, Coyoacan, Mexico City, Mexico. Peon Contreas Gallery,
Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.
Museum of Modern Art, Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico.
Museum of Contemporary Art, Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico. The State Gallery of Nuevo Leon, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
From a Party To a Revile, Christ College, Mexican Salon of Fine Art, Mexico City, Mexico.

1990  The Taking of Balmori, BalmoriBuilding, Mexico City, Mexico.
The Taking of Balmori, Art Vance Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Themes of Love, exhibition itinerary:
Mexican Salon of Fine Art, Mexico City, Mexico
Christ College, Mexico City, Mexico.
Painting Biennial, Mexican Salon of Fine Art, Mexico City, Mexico.

1989  National Painting Salon, National Auditorium Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Open Invitation, Mexican Salon of Fine Art, Mexico City, Mexico.
Four Artist, Four Nations, Gallery 930, Mexico City, Mexico.
National Drawing Salon, National Auditorium Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.

Seasonal Opening, Renata Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Perceptions, Florencia Riestra Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.

1988  National Painting Salon, exhibition itinerary: National Auditorium Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico. City Museum, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.
The Painter Sculptors, Quinonera Sculpture Garden, Mexico City, Mexico.
Figuratively Speaking, Renata Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

1987  National Painting Salon, National Auditorium Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Encounter in The City, The Municipality City Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Themes of Independence, Mexico City Museum, Mexico City, Mexico.

Burning of the Judas, National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City, Mexico. Santo Domingo Plaza, Mexico City, Mexico.
Chanukah, Art Forum Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.

1986  National Drawing Salon, National Auditorium Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.

1985  Inaugural Exhibition, Lihnaka Gallery, San Luis Potosí, S.L.P., Mexico.

1977  Painters of San Miguel de Allende, exhibition itinerary: National Museum of Fine Art, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Pergola Gallery, San Miguel Allende, Gto., México.

1976  US Bicentennial Commemorative, exhibition itinerary: Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City, Mexico. Hacienda Cortes Gallery, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.