Francisco Toledo (Mexico)

Art Gallery of New South Wales

Francisco Toledo (1940-2019), born in Juchitán, Oaxaca, Mexico, was a painter and engraver who drew inspiration from his native culture and mythology. Toledo worked in a variety of media, including pottery, sculpture, weaving, graphic arts, and painting, depicting a vast menagerie of real and fantastical animals. Toledo immersed himself in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec region, studying its language, art, and traditions. He championed its culture and causes, founding several institutions such as the House of Culture of Juchitan (1972), the El Pochote film club (1992), the Centro Manuel Álvarez Bravo Photographic Center (1996), and the San Agustin Etla Arts Center (2006).

Presentation at the 24th Biennale of Sydney was made possible with generous support from a grant from Open Society Foundations.