Mexican artist Frieda Toranzo Jaeger challenges the ideologies of late-stage capitalism with rage and ritual, unleashing resistance through art and activism.
Frieda Toranzo Jaeger Challenges the Ideologies of Late-Stage Capitalism With Rage and Ritual
Unpacking the Politics of Materials and Methods in Contemporary Art
Materials, media, and their modes of presentation are inherently embedded with political and cultural values shaped by traditions and ideologies that have accumulated over time. These values are, in turn, infused within the systems of production and circulation in which such materials and media participate. The choice of materials, the techniques employed in their creation, and the platforms through which they are disseminated all carry implicit meanings, reflecting the power structures, social norms, and cultural biases of their contexts.
A Critique of Late-Stage Capitalism Through Multidisciplinary Art
Mexican artist Frieda Toranzo Jaeger investigates this complex intersection between materials, embedded ideologies, and systems of production in her work. Refusing to adhere to traditional canons, she extends the canvas into three-dimensional space, evolving painting compositions into elaborate tableaux and cabinet-like structures where form and content function in tandem to express philosophical propositions.
The Intersection of Technology and Human Subjectivity
Toranzo Jaeger’s multimedia orchestrations are rooted in deliberate political intent. Her work critiques the systems of production and circulation that define late-stage capitalism, examining how these frameworks influence human behavior and societal structures. At the core of her practice lies a sustained inquiry into what she describes as the ‘psychological space of capitalism.’
A Feminine Touch Amidst Masculine Discourse
The artist’s use of traditionally masculine vocabulary drawn from mechanics, automotive engineering, and lifestyle culture is juxtaposed with anatomical references, drawing visual parallels between the human body and artificial vehicle parts. This complex interplay is further enriched by delicate embroidered interventions, which soften and enrich the surface. For Toranzo Jaeger, masculinity and femininity are not oppositional but interdependent dialectics.
Resilience, Rage, and Self-Affirmation
Toranzo Jaeger’s aesthetic is an act of resilience and self-affirmation, challenging fixed ideologies and binary definitions. Her resistance and strength stem from rage, stemming from the rise of fascism, genocide, war, inequality, class struggle, and other social injustices. Her paintings invite viewers to take control, to take power, and to experience living at the extremes.
Challenging Dominant Narratives
Throughout her work, Toranzo Jaeger explores the tension between humans and machines—a friction between the drive for efficiency, productivity, and profit and the impulse toward expansive, spontaneous creative expression. Her latest works incorporate a wide array of tools, pointing to the integration of ‘the machine’ as an ontological agent into human subjectivity.
A Call for Collective Liberation
The artist’s use of traditional polyptych format links her work to a deeper interrogation of religious iconography and ideology, specifically in reaction to the enduring influence of Catholicism in Mexico. Her paintings serve as political prompts—tools for collective critical liberation—embedded with questions about power, its operation, and how it shapes our reality.
A Revolutionary Practice Inspired by Muralism
Toranzo Jaeger’s practice is deeply embedded in her understanding of Muralism, one of the most revolutionary artistic movements of the 20th century. She considers Muralism a powerful reminder of what art can do and remains committed to its ideological effectiveness. By literally taking art outside institutions, she dismantles the bourgeois ideology that controls what can be seen.
Muralism is a style of painting that originated in the early 20th century, characterized by large-scale works on walls and buildings.
This art form gained popularity during the Mexican Revolution, led by artists such as Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros.
Muralism aimed to combine artistic expression with social commentary, often depicting scenes of everyday life, politics, and history.
The movement spread globally, influencing various styles, including socialist realism and abstract expressionism.
A Call for Resilience in the Face of Erasure
Ultimately, Frieda Toranzo Jaeger’s exhibition at Bortolami issues a call for resilience and resistance in the face of pre-established ideologies, invoking a mode of creative expression and critical thinking capable of challenging arbitrary systems of value and envisioning a freer society.
