MEXICO'S FERIA MATERIAL ENTERS A “NEW CHAPTER” AT MARAVILLA STUDIOS

Mexico City Art Week has become an essential February pilgrimage for the international art world, and for London visitors it’s increasingly the week that sets the tempo for the year ahead. Feria Material, now entering its 12th edition, Vol. 12 of the art fair sits at the centre of that ecosystem: Latin American representation, a clear curatorial identity, and a programme that treats the city as part of the experience.

“Material has changed venues several times over its 12-year history, and I’d argue that each new venue has given Material an opportunity to experiment, evolve, and grow,” explain the founders: Brett Schultz, Co-founder, Partner & Director of the fair; Isa Castilla, Partner & Director of Development; and Marcos Ruíz, Partner & Director of Programming. Coming out of the pandemic, the last three editions at Expo Reforma served a specific purpose: “stability and predictability to strengthen our roots, build an incredible team, and really focus on professionalizing the fair.” But, they add, that stability came with limits: “the possibilities were limited there in terms of physical space and the kind of experience the fair could offer.”

ThIs new venue space, however, allows them to imagine a totally different fair experience. The headline change is scale (“a massive space”) but the more telling detail is the format: all exhibitors are on one level, combining both indoor and outdoor spaces. The outdoor factor, in particular, hints at what Material actually wants right now, allowing them to take full advantage of Mexico City’s February weather to create an experience that feels, in their words, "really magical.”

The week effectively begins early with Material Monday (Monday, February 2, 2026), one of the most energised days of Mexico City Art Week: a public-holiday, citywide circuit of openings across participating galleries, designed to be navigated freely. This year, more than 15 venues will launch new exhibitions simultaneously from 4–9pm, with a free shuttle running along the gallery route, before the night closes (as is now tradition) with a party in Doctores. Programming continues across the week with IMMATERIAL, Material’s performance strand curated by Michelangelo Miccolis, presenting two works at Casa del Lago UNAM: Ivan Cheng premieres MOOD RING (temor teflon) in Latin America for the first time on Wednesday, February 4, followed by Adriana Lara presenting Jessy Bulbo as part of her Red Social project on Friday, February 6. Inside the fair, the VOCAL conversation programme runs February 6–8 in the forum space, offering relaxed Spanish-language talks on collector and patron groups in Mexico—an attempt to map the relationships and structures shaping collecting locally. Vol. 12 also introduces the independent spaces making up the third generation of Proyectos (2026–27), with six selected initiatives presenting at the fair for the first time during Art Week.

Photography courtesy of Feria Material

“Our mission is to create context, commerce, and community around contemporary art,” the founders write, and they position Mexico City Art Week as the natural habitat for that triad: Material is helping to turn Mexico City from “a single-fair stop” into “a week with a range of voices and points of entry.”

Scaling, of course, is where fairs tend to lose their nerve, is not interested in size over substance. “There are two things we’re determined not to lose,” they say. First: the sense of place. Mexico City “and its art scene are an integral part of Feria Material’s identity. It has to feel like a fair you couldn’t experience anywhere else.” Second: “quality.” They’re “not interested in growth for growth’s sake or at the expense of quality.” Second: standards. They’re “not interested in growth for growth’s sake or at the expense of quality.”

That insistence on quality runs straight into the fair’s selection logic. Material notes that it now attracts “exciting, relevant proposals” because it has “a strong identity and reputation on an international level” that they've fought hard for. This year, the selection committee is described as “three widely admired Latin American gallerists from our generation,” chosen for a “deep understanding of the fair’s DNA”: Beatriz López (Instituto de Visión), Franciso Cordero-Oceguera (Lodos), and Christopher Rivera (EMBAJADA). When review applications they aim for balance: “talent, trajectory, geographic and demographic representation, and fresh perspectives.”

Photography courtesy of Feria Material

The regional question is where Material is most direct about what sets it apart. “That level of regional representation and commitment is something we’re proud of,” they say, noting that more than half of participants again come from Latin America.“Mexico City is the perfect bridge between North America and Latin America.” they explain, and they're right: collectors view Material a must-visit during Mexico Art Week, a place to "have conversations, learn, and invest in the careers of artists shaping contemporary art right now,” alongside the galleries doing the long-term work of supporting them.

Programming is the mechanism through which Material tries to make that promise tangible. The fair offers both public programming as well as VIP programming, both onsite and off, developed in collaboration with exhibiting galleries. Crucially, “the city itself plays an important role in nearly all of it.” This year’s list is expansive: performances, talks, book presentations, private collection visits, a city-wide gallery tour, parties, architectural tours, museum visits, plus activities for kids.”

Photography courtesy of Feria Material

Asked what they’d engineer as an “accidental discovery” for a first-time visitor, the founders don’t hesitate: “Without a doubt, it would be our Proyectos program.” Launched in 2021, it supports independent, often artist-run ganisations from across Mexico via a two-year cycle: including free exhibition space, individual mentorship, and a wide-ranging pedagogical program, Vol. 12 debuts the initiative’s third generation. As the founders say: “I don’t know of another art fair with anything like it.”

From the exhibitor list, the London galleries participating in Vol. 12 are Brooke Benington, Copperfield, DES BAINS, Season 4 Episode 6, Soup, and Studio/Chapple.

Material’s regional focus lands neatly in Mexico City’s position as a meeting point for the Americas, and Vol. 12 leans into that role by bringing Latin American galleries into sharper view for a Mexico Art Week audience that now arrives from everywhere. For London visitors, it’s a fair that rewards the visit: strong cross-section of the region, a considered selection process, and programming that pulls you beyond the booth and into the city.

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FERIA MATERIAL takes place at Maravilla Studios (Freno 315, CDMX, Mexico) from February 5–8, 2026. Tickets can be purchased here.