Z’otz* Collective's 'Waiting Outside of My Hand' exhibit at VAC

By Will McGuirk

The Z’otz* Collective was formed in Toronto in 2004 by three artists of Latin American heritage; Nahúm Flores, Erik Jerezano, and Ilyana Martínez. Their exhibit “Waiting Outside My Hand” opens at the Visual Arts Centre in Clarington Sept. 8 and runs through to Nov 3 2019.

The term Z’otz* refers to the bat god in Maya mythology, a part of Mesoamerican mythology in which personified forces of nature and deities play a main role. The Z’otz* Collective produces drawings, paintings, sculptures, and large scale murals using a rotating system with each group member taking a sequential turn in making a mark.

“Waiting Outside of My Hand” is an exhibition that explores the notion of a space “in which to nest”. A niche may be thought of as a recess or shadow box, to contain elements within a larger configuration. Using this as a point of departure, Z’otz* Collective produces contemporary niches in the form of boxes varying in size and strategically placed within a site-specific mural. Their niches will contain various objects sourced from the grounds surrounding the VAC. Each niche serves as a container of juxtaposed items that together suggest a narrative, forming an interconnected network of stories.

Previously the Z’otz* Collective have shown work at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Dunlop Art Gallery, Union Gallery, YYZ Artists’ Outlet, Cambridge Galleries, and the MacLaren Art Centre.

The opening reception is 2 – 4 p.m. on Sept. 8.