ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Kurimanzutto Gallery: From Market Stall to Global Art Powerhouse

institutional · 2026-04-27

Founded in 1999 by Mónica Manzutto and José Kuri in Mexico City, Kurimanzutto gallery began as an experimental space in the Medellín Market, where artworks were sold by weight alongside fruit. The gallery represented a generation of Mexican artists led by Gabriel Orozco. In 2008, the gallery moved to a former carpentry workshop in San Miguel Chapultepec, establishing a permanent base. Kurimanzutto maintained its guerrilla approach, including billboard interventions across the city. For its 20th anniversary in 2020, the gallery launched 'Siembra' (Sowing), a program dividing the space into seven independent rooms for rotating solo exhibitions of both established and emerging artists, emphasizing biodiversity and long-term creative processes. José Kuri views art as a tool for political and social transformation, and the gallery aims to foster a healthy art ecosystem through positive competition.

Key facts

  • Kurimanzutto was founded in 1999 by Mónica Manzutto and José Kuri.
  • The gallery opened in the Medellín Market in Mexico City.
  • Artworks were initially sold by weight, with a maximum price of ten euros.
  • Gabriel Orozco was a key artist; his work included a mixiote with a ball inside sold for a few euros.
  • Twenty years later, Orozco expanded the 'Economía de mercado' experiment by opening an OXXO convenience store inside the gallery.
  • In 2008, the gallery moved to a former carpentry workshop in San Miguel Chapultepec.
  • The gallery launched billboard interventions across Mexico City for two years.
  • The 2020 program 'Siembra' features seven independent rooms for rotating exhibitions of different durations.
  • José Kuri describes the gallery as a commercial space with clear rules to support artists.
  • Kuri emphasizes the importance of diversity in a globalized art market.

Entities

Artists

  • Mónica Manzutto
  • José Kuri
  • Gabriel Orozco

Institutions

  • Kurimanzutto
  • Artribune
  • OXXO

Locations

  • Mexico City
  • Mexico
  • Medellín Market
  • San Miguel Chapultepec
  • New York

Sources