GRAN BAZAAR

Published to accompany Katie Holten's public art project GRAN BAZAAR in the Centro Historico in Mexico City. Includes photographs and drawings documenting the project, a text by Nestor Canclini (anthropologist, Mexico City) on the informal economy of Mexico City and a conversation between Sally O'Reilly (writer, London) and Katie Holten.  

During a residency in Mexico City, Holten became fascinated with the diverse manifestations of economic activity on the winding urban streets. She took notes on the colloquial gestures surrounding advertising and selling through copious drawings and snapshots. These fueled a spontaneous "factory" in her hotel room, mainly utilizing the detritus from daily transactions. Newspapers, take-out packaging, toilet paper tubes, and other leftovers were turned into handmade goods, such as pet toys. Holten's various activities around Mexico City culminated in GRAN BAZAAR, which combined elements of performance and exhibition with aspects of archeological digs and flea markets. 

Canclini writes about the influence of the urban informal in international mega-cities and Sally O'Reilly interviews Holten on techniques concerning art, trade, and object dilemmas.

Publisher: Tûp Institute and m o s t r a

City: Mexico City, Mexico

Year: 2006

Pages: 64 pages with 32 color pages

Essay by Nestor Canclini

Conversation between Sally O'Reilly and Katie Holten

Dimensions: 21 x 16 cm

Cover: Paper over boards

Binding: Sewn bound

Process: Offset

Color: Color

Edition Size: 1,000

ISBN 0-9788046-0-0