Beyond Mictlán: Tec Mexico City campus artists exhibit works in Rome

Students, professors, and graduates of the Bachelor of Digital Arts degree at the Tec campus in Mexico City will present a total of 11 artworks at the “Beyond Mictlán: The Song of the Catrinas” exhibition in Galleria Il Leone in Rome, Italy, on July 18.

This will be the first of the exhibition’s four stops as it will also be shown in France, ECCI University in Colombia, and finally at the Tec campus in Mexico City on May 25, 2025.

According to Jorge Mario Montesinos, director of the Digital Art program at the Mexico City campus, this exhibition is a new opportunity for students to become more involved in the world of art and to see their artworks in venues outside the country.

From Mexico to Rome: representing Mexico through its traditions

Mike Farraige, visual artist and curator of the exhibition, explains that “The Song of the Catrinas” will promote Mexican culture and folklore in an international context, mainly by making the figure of the Catrina and the Day of the Dead festivity visible.

“Each artist has a unique perspective in relation to these traditions; the goal is to highlight their perspectives in another country,” Farraige shares.

Students share their excitement and pride in representing Mexican traditions on another continent with CONECTA.

“Honestly, I still can’t believe it’s happening. I’m grateful to the gallery, as well as to Professor Jorge Mario, for believing in my work.

“I feel happy and excited to have had the courage to complete the project; I put my heart and soul into every brush stroke in the work,” says Mariana Islas Peralta, a Digital Art student.

New perspectives on the Catrina and the Day of the Dead

The director, who is also participating in “The Song of the Catrinas” explains that the techniques used in the exhibited artworks range from traditional to digital and hybrid (with retouching) techniques and explains that each participant had the opportunity to reinterpret this figure of the Catrina and capture it in their own way.

These interpretations place the Catrina in different settings and contexts, either by highlighting architecture, elements of Mexican culture (including classic elements like the marigold and cemeteries), or the saturated use of colors.

Likewise, the artists captured elements representing pre-Hispanic identity in their works: from corn, the jaguar, and deities such as Tláloc, Quetzalcóatl, Tezcatlipoca, and Coatlicue, to the spiritual connection with nature and the representation of the space between life and death.

“For example, my work PROCESSION is inspired by the tradition of Mexican people gathering and parading through the streets, either to celebrate or to take the deceased to the cemetery.

“I wanted to represent these two extremes in a work that would match the theme of the exhibition,” explains Oscar Castellanos, a graduate and professor of Digital Art.

“I feel happy and excited to have had the courage to complete the project; I put my heart and soul into every brush stroke in the work.” - Mariana Islas

In addition to the pieces created by the Tec community, “Beyond Mictlán: The Song of the Catrinas” features the participation of various art groups from Mexico, as well as artists from Colombia, Cuba, and France.

The exhibition, open to the public, will run until July 25 at Galleria Il Leone in Rome.

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