Mexico and the "Black Gold, Circa 1700" By Ana Mercedes Hoyos

Since last August 8^th, the Museo de Arte de la Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público in Mexico City presents the exhibition Oro negro circa 1700, with more than 50 artworks representing the values, the wealth, and the cultural tradition of San Basilio de Palenque, an afro-Colombian community that has been the subject of Ana Mercedes Hoyos' work in recent years.

The title of the exhibition alludes to the name given to slaves in Colonial times, as commerce in slaves was more lucrative than the precious metal. This gave origin to the expression "black gold."

Still lives, markets, festivals, and Palenque women dressed in festive attire invite us to understand a universe marked by the memory of slavery and of the injustices suffered by African ancestors brought to Colombia and other Latin American coasts, presented by Hoyos in her paintings as greatly dignified characters. As a whole, these works confirm the way in which Ana Mercedes Hoyos is able to transform historical and sociological data into art.

Of special note in this exhibition is Ma fruta ata freco ("fresh fruit"), one of the artist's most ambitious projects, a large-format triptych whose final destination is the Monterrey-based CEMEX collection. The exhibition will travel to Monterrey's Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, and CEMEX will ultimately hang this triptych next to Diego Rivera's Río de Juchitán mural.