Art Exhibition in Hacienda Ruins Claims 'In-Between' Spaces

An upcoming art exhibition in Telchac Pueblo brings together artists from three countries to explore identity and transformation in an unlikely venue: the ruins of a partially restored henequén factory.

NEPANTLA, running Oct. 23-28, showcases photography, sculptural furniture, textiles, ceramics, and paintings from creators across Mexico, the U.S., and Cuba. The immersive show, curated by Nadia Guitteau of ALRATITOstudio, takes its name from a Nahuatl word meaning “the in-between.”

LA photographer Pej was based in Merida for a few years before resettling in Mexico City. He is featured in Nepantla, an exhibit inspired by his latest series, Thresholds.Photo: Courtesy
LA photographer Pej was based in Merida for a few years before resettling in Mexico City. He is featured in Nepantla, an exhibit inspired by his latest series, Thresholds.Photo: Courtesy
LA photographer Pej was based in Merida for a few years before resettling in Mexico City. He is featured in Nepantla, an exhibit inspired by his latest series, Thresholds.Photo: Courtesy

“NEPANTLA explores creativity, identity, and transformation in spaces where cultures, languages, and histories converge,” Guitteau explains.

The choice of venue adds layers of meaning to the exhibition’s theme. Henequén, once called “green gold,” dominated Yucatán’s economy from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, making the state one of Mexico’s wealthiest regions. The fiber extracted from this agave plant was processed in factories like the one hosting NEPANTLA, where it became rope and twine exported worldwide.

The henequén boom ended with the invention of synthetic fibers, leading to the abandonment of many processing facilities across the peninsula. Today, these industrial ruins serve as haunting reminders of Yucatán’s agricultural past.

The exhibition coincides with Design Week Mexico, which has promoted the country’s design scene since 2009. This year’s edition runs Oct. 7-12 in Mexico City under the theme “Designed in Mexico,” emphasizing design as a cultural, social, and economic force.

Among NEPANTLA’s featured artists are Angela Damman, Carla Fernández, Ernesto Azcárate, Trine Ellitsgaard, and the Maya Youth Artisan Initiative. The latter represents a particularly meaningful connection to the exhibition’s henequén factory setting.

The Maya Youth Artisan Initiative, established by textile artist Angela Damman, teaches young women how to work with henequén fiber using traditional techniques that were nearly lost when the industry declined. The program works with women 29 and under, aiming to preserve backstrap loom weaving while providing economic opportunities in rural Maya communities.

Based in Hocaba, Yucatán, the initiative was relaunched in 2024 with support from the IBU Foundation and Nova Bossa/Latin American Design Week. Young participants learn from elder artisans who serve as mentors, creating a bridge between generations that embodies the “in-between” spirit of NEPANTLA.

The concept of nepantla gained broader recognition through the work of scholar Gloria Anzaldúa, who used the term to describe liminal spaces where identities form and transform. Anzaldúa wrote: “Bridges span liminal (threshold) spaces between worlds, spaces I call nepantla… Transformations occur in this in-between space, an unstable, unpredictable, precarious, always-in-transition space lacking clear boundaries.”

For artists and visitors, the ruined henequén factory becomes such a space — neither fully industrial nor natural, neither completely past nor present. The jungle slowly reclaims concrete structures while contemporary artworks create new dialogues with Maya heritage.

The exhibition opens with an invitation-only reception Oct. 23, followed by public viewing Oct. 24-28. Organizers have partnered with the Maya Youth Artisan Initiative to ensure the show honors both innovation and tradition.

“We’re creating conversations between contemporary art and ancestral knowledge,” says one participating artist. “The henequén factory represents transformation itself — from plant to fiber, from prosperity to ruin, from abandonment to art.”

Telchac Pueblo, located about 50 kilometers (31 miles) northeast of Mérida, offers visitors a chance to experience rural Yucatán beyond typical tourist destinations. The area was historically linked to henequén production, with several haciendas operating in the region through the 20th century.

NEPANTLA is a meditation on how cultures evolve in spaces of transition, making the ruins of Yucatán’s henequén industry the perfect setting.