Mario García Torres Retrospective at Fridericianum Kassel Revisits Conceptual Art's Mystical Undercurrents

Mario García Torres's retrospective 'A History of Influence' at Kassel's Fridericianum challenges conventional readings of 1960s and 70s conceptual art. The Mexican artist's two-decade project reveals mystical and esoteric dimensions in movements like Conceptualism and Arte Povera, countering perceptions of purely rational systems. Key works include his 2010 video '¿Alguna vez has visto la nieve caer?', which documents his search for Alighiero Boetti's destroyed One Hotel in Kabul. Another undated film animates Mario Merz dancing to Fibonacci sequence rhythms in a Kassel bar during Documenta 1972. Recent works like 'Cayendo juntos en el tiempo' explore synchronicities between 1980s pop culture, from Van Halen to Carl Jung. García Torres creates silkscreened flowchart canvases diagramming musical connections between Joy Division and Spanish rapper C. Tangana. He argues conceptual art's most immaterial works acknowledge a nonphysical world, citing Robert Barry's telepathic messages and Lawrence Weiner's statements. The artist's 2012 cartoon 'Xoco, The Kid Who Loved Being Bored' targets adults' inner children through animated boredom. García Torres explains his evolution from seeking artistic legitimacy through historical engagement to creating porous meanings that embrace misunderstanding. The exhibition runs through July 27, 2025, following his 2012 Documenta presentation during a planned sabbatical.