“I don’t want to illustrate autoconstrucción but to activate the dynamics of autoconstrucción in my work – like improvising and doing things with whatever you have at hand.” — Abraham Cruzvillegas
Today’s Art21 Exclusive features Abraham Cruzvillegas at his childhood home in Mexico City, discussing his personal and artistic relationship to the concept of autoconstrucción. “Autoconstucción is about self-constructing or constructing your own house,” the artist explains, adding, “I like the term because it leads me to think about the construction of identity.” Cruzvillegas, who is shown assembling his large-scale installation The Autoconstrucción Suites at the Walker Art Center, is not illustrating autoconstrucción houses through his work, but instead is activating the method’s dynamic improvisation through the use of found materials.
