The Karen Huber Gallery was founded in 2014 by the Mexican gallery owner of the same name. More than a decade later, the space has established itself as a leading venue for contemporary painting. Eloquent and analytical, Huber transcends the traditional role of a gallery owner: her space is also a place for analysis, discussion, and reflection on art. In 2016, she joined the Editorial Board of Culture for the newspaper Reforma. Since 2025, she has been the curator of the Arte Sur section at the Art Toronto fair. In 2022, she served on the selection committee for the general section of ZONAMACO. We spoke with her.
It strikes me that ever since the gallery opened, it has focused on the analysis and discussion that art can spark. How have the exhibitions and the surrounding activities changed?
From the moment I decided to open the gallery, back in 2014, with a focus on contemporary painting, painting did predominate, but it wasn’t the kind we saw in museums. It was more object art, conceptual art, or drawing. At that time, the debate among many colleagues was: Is painting going to die? And my answer was no.
You’ve been into painting from the very beginning, right?
From day one, starting with our first exhibition at the Vizcaya building featuring Argentine visual artist Ad Minoliti in September 2014, we’ve been committed to painting. But this was already happening through other media: we can see it even in Minoliti’s current work and her ways of addressing painting—but through video, silkscreen, prints, and various non-pictorial techniques.
That’s how I put together the program, taking into account male and female painters who came from the studio and the academic world, but also this potential of painting that is now being explored more than ever before. In every exhibition, I always start by talking about painting, but in terms of the variety of techniques and possibilities. There might not be oil or acrylic, but there is pigment, drawing, and depth—which, in the end, make for a good painting.
Would you say this is a design by Karen Huber?
Yes, we follow a certain direction, and that’s why it’s very important to include a talk at every exhibition. We call these “hangouts” —the idea of bringing people together to discuss painting at the exhibitions and with the artists. That aspect has always been part of the gallery. We’re committed not only to exhibiting what’s considered good painting, but also to discussing it—to talking about what’s happening today and why it’s acceptable to talk about painting when no brush is involved, when the creative process differs from that of a painter facing a canvas.
You mentioned something: good painting. What does “good painting” mean to you?
For me, it has a lot to do with the craftsmanship. The final product, the quality of the canvas or the medium—it needs to be high-quality, the materials should be visible, and it should be well executed. But also that it conceptually aligns with the artist’s vision—that it stays very true to that vision. That it captures everything the artist is. That it demonstrates the artist’s knowledge, boldness, and ingenuity in presenting something different, yet well-executed. And that it always remains faithful to the artist’s statement or vision.
There should be consistency between what is said and what is physically observed.
Exactly. And that it lets you see something. A good painting can be very abstract—it might not even have a shape—but it takes you to other worlds when you look at it; it has depth; it takes you beyond mere taste, whether you like it or not. It moves you, it stirs you, it lets you travel for a while.
Do you remember the first time you felt that way about a painting?
I don’t remember any specific painting, but I do remember very clearly when the museum was located on Campos Elíseos in Polanco. We used to go to museums and cultural sites a lot on weekends. My parents would take us, even though that wasn’t their line of work. I think that museum of contemporary art made a big impression on me; I remember that sense of fascination when we walked in.
After all this experience, do you think Mexican contemporary art lacks self-criticism?
Yes, absolutely. We’re surrounded by a new generation of museum directors and exceptional curators who are working on the international stage, but there’s a lack of critical discourse. It’s hard to say right now what’s right or wrong, because everything is changing and anything goes.
“Criticism has become very lenient, very observant. And in that process, we tend to lose sight of the bigger picture—of what has happened, what is happening today—and fail to see why this is indeed constructive, or what is missing in certain frameworks, or what is missing in a country like Mexico.” — Karen Huber
What is missing at this moment in history?
For example, there are very few institutional collections. The private market is growing, but there is a significant lack of institutional involvement, including from companies that could build collections. They do want to be part of it, but on their own terms—and that approach doesn’t work.
You’ve been involved in many projects outside of Mexico. How do you see your role?
Yes, I’m definitely a gallery owner—of course I am. It’s my project and my passion; it bears my name, and it’s my vision. I love working with artists and with different audiences. But there’s also a very important aspect that involves curation and management. I like projects that extend beyond my gallery—I like feeling part of a community.
Who do you work with most these days—artists or curators?
I’m interested in working with curators, institutions, the artists themselves, and their artist friends, because they’re the ones who delve deepest into the day-to-day reality of what’s happening as history is being written.
That’s why I enjoy being part of the GAMA committee —the gallery association chaired by Enrique Guerrero— or to be part of a fair like ZONAMACO. Through that, I’ve received invitations from fairs like Art Toronto to curate a section of Latin American galleries. It’s interesting because a country like Canada is seeking to be more inclusive and look at what’s happening in the south, in Mexico. Being able to be part of something bigger is a necessity for me.
In that sense, can we speak of a Latin American identity in contemporary art?
Many people do it, but I don’t want to because it falls into the Latin American cliché. We already live in completely cosmopolitan cities. If you go to Brazil, sure, there are artists working with local themes, but that’s not unique to Latin America. There are many influences: European, American, Asian. What we see is what we grow up with—the landscapes, the colors—but many artists have more universal interests. I like to think of Latin America as a blend. Like when you see Talavera de Puebla with Chinese influences: there’s the blend. That’s Latin America to me.
Are there any distinct scenes in Mexico?
Yes, of course. We’re keeping an eye on things, seeing what’s happening in Monterrey, Guadalajara, and museums up north. But there are definitely art scenes. A very large one is in Mexico City. And I’d like to see more happening in other states, because there are artists all over Mexico. It’s complex to create the entire ecosystem: artists, studios, galleries, collectors, museums, curators. Even so, we have a very powerful ecosystem, on par with cities like London or New York.
What’s coming up next at the Karen Huber Gallery?
Condo is an initiative that started in London and is self-managed in each country. It involves one gallery hosting another from abroad and exhibiting together. We’re opening on April 23, with extended hours and plenty of activities so people can visit different galleries. It’s interesting because you can go to a local gallery and discover one from France or Japan without leaving the city.
And aside from the trade shows, what’s next?
We are pleased to present the first exhibition by Cristian Camacho, a conceptual artist who approaches painting like Byzantine mosaics, using square brushes with great precision. The exhibition, *Santa Catarina*, explores industrial landscapes and everyday life in Monterrey.
In the Project Room, we will be hosting Tiro al Blanco, a gallery from Guadalajara, featuring work by Iza Carrillo. We are also continuing with projects such as the pop-up in Madrid during Art Week, where we hold group exhibitions. I am very interested in what is happening there and in continuing to collaborate with the Spanish art scene.
Discover more interviews with the people who bring contemporary art to life in Latin America in AW Magazine.
Cover photo: Santiago Maba
