OPENING RECEPTION
Friday September 6, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Consulate General of Mexico en San Francisco
532 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA. 94105. USA
“What Happened to the Sacred Bundle” Amber, silver, corals and feathers 17 x 18 x 2.5 cm. 2024
Shimmering Feathers and Precious Gems Unravel the Secrets of Empire
From the legends of Moctezuma’s Aztec gold and the mythical kingdom of El Dorado to the lore of the Golden Age of Piracy, including Francis Drake and the riches of the Spanish galleon *Esperanza*, the epic myths of treasure are deeply intertwined with the history of empire. Treasures often are the product of looting and destruction, hoarded away and sometimes lost to history, adding a fantastical dimension to their narratives and embedding them in the collective imagination as revered and coveted possessions.
“Treasures of Adverse Possession” by Francisco Guevara, a visual artist, activist, and independent scholar, delves into the material and philosophical origins of empire. This art exhibition explores the profound impact of the Long 16th Century (1450-1650)—a pivotal era that shaped the modern world through conquest and desire. Inspired by the fruits of colonialism and rooted in the visual and material culture of the early Atlantic World, particularly Mexico, the exhibition features thematic works that investigate the broader history and narrative of treasures as symbols of limitless wealth.
“1521” Amethyst and cast sterling silver ring. 6 x 6 x 4 cm. 2023
“1533” Tourmaline and cast sterling silver ring. 8 x 3 x 4 cm. 2023
Presenting a series of precious artworks that gaze back at us—both alluring and engaging—this exhibition invites us to challenge our understanding of empire and its impact on modern knowledge. Guevara’s use of rich techniques, including natural colors and precious materials, transforms each piece into a mirror reflecting the seductive and destructive nature of “Empire.” The dazzling colors and textures beckon viewers to explore more deeply, questioning the ethical boundaries of beauty and the history that shapes our present.
The Consulate General of Mexico in San Francisco and Arquetopia Foundation, in celebration of its 15th anniversary, invite you to the opening reception of “Treasures of Adverse Possession” by Francisco Guevara. Step into a world where empire and treasure intertwine in a captivating exploration of history and material culture. Brought to life through the vivid colors of cochineal and indigo, the mesmerizing shimmer of feathers, and the radiant gleam of silver and precious gems, each artwork intertwines imperial history with the viewer’s contemporary experience. This contemporary art exhibition poses thought-provoking questions about how empire, as a position of power, has created treasures—objects that both reflect and reinforce that power.
ARQUETOPIA
Arquetopia is not a museum or cultural center, nor is it a house for art. It is an unconventional space of disruption that centers mobility as the origin of the ethical problem and violence in the processes of artistic production, especially in Mexico and Peru. Its programs draw from diverse global knowledge and experiences, creating intersections to challenge perspectives and ways of seeing, particularly those that prioritize beauty over thought, aesthetics over responsibility, or irony over awareness.
On its 15th anniversary, Arquetopia positions itself as the anti-residency, distancing itself from the exploitation that art often promotes and reimagining the artist as an agent of change. However, an agent of change is not the creative genius inspired by nature, nor the one who views social changes with suspicion, only to benefit from its abstraction and representation. Rather, they are the persons who daily seeks new forms of coexistence without losing sight of the injustices occurring around them.
This compels us to recognize, that the only viable path is the anti-colonial one, rooted in reciprocity and collaboration, challenging relationships between class, geography, and species, and consistently referencing colonialism while actively opposing neo-imperialism. Community must be understood as more than a place to visit or an extension of landscape, and under no circumstances can it be evaluated or rated based on customer satisfaction. Reciprocity entails questioning ourselves critically while extending a hand generously to walk together into the unknown.
This is how Arquetopia celebrates its fifteenth anniversary, reaffirming its commitment to remain a critical, dynamic, and creative space where ethics always take precedence and the responsibility to challenge racism, sexism, and classism is shared with artists.
Are you interested in collaborating? Contact us here http://www.arquetopia.org/
ARQUETOPIA EMBASSY PROGRAM
In celebration of its 15th anniversary, Arquetopia, in collaboration with the Government of Mexico and through its Embassies, Consulates, and various institutions, is launching an extensive program of touring exhibitions focusing on critical themes aimed at reaching diverse audiences. These exhibitions will be presented at various international venues, including:
“Treasures of Adverse Possession” 2024-2027
- Mexico
- “Omens of Empire” GARCO Galería, Puebla, Pue.
- Centro de las Artes San Agustín, Oaxaca
- Museo Universitario Casa de los Muñecos BUAP, Puebla
- Brazil
- Museu Historico Nacional / Consulado de México en Río
- Nigeria
- Embassy of Mexico in Nigeria
- USA
- Consulate General of México in San Francisco
- Consulate General of México in Los Angeles
- Consulate General of México in Sacramento
- Consulate General of México in Phoenix
- Consulate General of México in New Orleans
- Consulate General of México in Atlanta
- Consulate General of México in Raleigh
- Consulate General of México in New Brunswick
FRANCISCO GUEVARA | ARTIST & CURATOR
Francisco Guevara is a visual artist, independent scholar and curator based in Mexico and Peru. He specializes in Levinasian ethics applied to the design of cross-cultural artistic projects, and the analysis of performativity in contemporary art practices. His experience spans more than 20 years of designing, curating, and managing art projects through visual arts education, and international cooperation to promote social change. His essays and critical texts focus on place and history as ideological distortions, and address subjects such as contemporary art practices, historiography of art, and the artist residency field, and have been featured in numerous international publications. As of 2009, Guevara is co-founder and Co-Executive Director of Arquetopia, a non-profit foundation and transnational artist residency program promoting Development and social transformation through educational, artistic, and cultural programs.
As a visual artist, Guevara investigates the historical construction of the differentiation processes, embodiment, and the concept of distortion through a wide range of artistic/historical mediums, including painting, installation, and metalsmith. Protégé of Dolores Olmedo Patiño his work can be found in important private and public collections. He has participated in multiple collective exhibits and had nineteen solo shows, including the Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporaneo in Mexico, National Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque Museum and University of New Mexico in the U.S., and the 10th Mexican Festival in Australia. His work can be found in important private and public collections such as: Fundación Coleccion Jumex, Dolores Olmedo Museum, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, Ministry of Culture of Bolivia, Salma Hayek-Pinault Collection, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II Private Collection, Denmark, among others. His residencies and honors include THE LAND/an art site, Youkobo Art Space Japan, and the American Institute of Architects Honor Award, both New Mexico and Albuquerque.
Since 2009, Guevara has served as the Executive Co-Director of Arquetopia, a foundation dedicated to promoting social development and transformation through educational, artistic, and cultural programs.
You can download the exhibition catalogue here
Francisco Guevara 
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