Alexis Mata is an artist navigating the intersection of digital and analog media, exploring themes of memory, loss, and transformation. Beginning with urban interventions that sparked social critique in a landscape of inequality and violence, he later transitioned to permanent mediums like collage, painting, and installation. His work examines how images evolve through migration, using digital tools to manipulate and reconstruct meaning.
In recent years, Alexis Mata has questioned collective ideals—beauty, success, and prosperity—by deconstructing classical imagery through pixelation, glitches, and fragmentation. His latest explorations focus on contemplation, documenting dreams and sensations while engaging artificial intelligence to transform fragmented memories into visual narratives. Through this process, he reimagines subconscious experiences, creating an ever-evolving dialogue between human perception and digital interpretation.
We would like to take this opportunity to spotlight Alexis Mata, the highly esteemed artist whose work overflows with chromatic delicacy and bold meaning. To begin the interview, could you tell us about your very first artistic experience, the first time you created something?
Ever since I was very young, I loved drawing the characters from my favorite cartoons. However, it was during high school, in art workshops, that I began winning awards in competitions throughout Mexico City, which sparked the idea of studying fine arts.
Your practice began with interventions in public spaces, engaging directly with social and political issues. How did that initial phase influence your artistic philosophy, and what prompted you to transition toward more permanent formats like collage and painting?
I believe ideas can be expressed in many ways. In my case, I felt limited—and, to some extent, uncomfortable—expressing myself on the streets, where the tensions among street artists, graffiti writers, and police presence made communication challenging. In contrast, my studio provided a conducive environment for experimentation, and gradually my ideas gravitated toward more intimate formats suited for traditional cultural spaces and galleries. Consequently, my work naturally evolved into creating sculptures, collages, stained glass, tapestries, and, nowadays, paintings. I have also explored video projects, although those are still in the process of being revealed.
There is a persistent theme of loss—whether through digital corruption, memory, or shifting contexts. Do you see your work as an act of preservation, reinterpretation, or disruption?
I am drawn to the idea of reinterpreting what we see, think, and believe; it is in that process that our unique language is born. Through reinterpretation, the work can become disruptive. However, I’m still not entirely sure that I have reached that level yet—it’s a long and ever-evolving journey.
The artifacts of digital imperfection play a central role in your aesthetic language. Do you consider them accidents to be embraced, or intentional glitches that challenge our expectations?
Initially, I was fascinated by how errors and chaos could emerge organically. This led me to focus on glitches and errors, which today form the core of my work. Now, I intentionally seek them out, as I find a unique beauty in these imperfections that defy conventional expectations.
Artificial intelligence has become a collaborator in your creative process, translating dreams and fragmented memories into images. Do you view it as a tool, an interlocutor, or something akin to an unconscious mirror reflecting the raw material of your thoughts?
Today, I use artificial intelligence much like another brush in my studio. It isn’t the final expression of an idea, but rather a tool I enjoy experimenting with. I’m intrigued by how it interacts, makes linguistic errors, and translates my ideas, which I then reinterpret in my own way. It functions as a creative assistant that helps me explore new forms and refine my concepts, although I must clarify that I don’t use it all the time.
Your work has been exhibited in global institutions, from Mexico City to London and Los Angeles. Have you noticed any patterns in how different cultures respond to your visual deconstructions?
Without a doubt, time and context influence the perception of art. Early in my career, when I had the opportunity to exhibit in museums, I was able to gather a wide range of feedback—both positive and critical—from the public. Recently, during a show in New York—one of my favorite cities—it was fascinating to listen to people’s reactions without them knowing I was the artist. That experience allowed me to adjust my approach, and now, with exhibitions in Europe and Asia, I find it captivating to observe how each culture responds in its own unique way.
All images courtesy of Alexis Mata
