Mexico City-based contemporary artist Alexis Mata has made a bold artistic pivot with his latest exhibition "Sublime Paraíso" (Sublime Paradise), marking a significant departure from the distorted, glitch-heavy aesthetic that has defined his career. Currently on display at Maia Contemporary gallery in his hometown of Mexico City, the exhibition represents what Mata describes as a journey of self-discovery and spiritual renewal through art.
Throughout his artistic career, Mata has been fascinated by visual distortion, exploring this concept across various media including collage, sculpture, and installation work. His previous series "Fata Morgana," which was exhibited at The Hole gallery in New York, focused on the beauty found in mirages and how the mind interprets what it wishes to see. "There's beauty in [mirages], in how the mind decodes what it wishes to see, almost like magic," Mata previously explained about his work.
For "Sublime Paraíso," Mata has deliberately moved away from the melancholic atmosphere that characterized his earlier pieces, instead embarking on an introspective exploration of natural landscapes viewed through a fractured lens. The new works depict plants and skies that appear as though seen through broken glass, but these elements serve as more than mere representations of earthly counterparts – they function as symbols of an inner oasis amid the emotional desert that can sometimes surround us.
Mata conceptualizes these new compositions as "visual poems," where themes of innovation and growth take physical form through blooming cacti and meteors breaking through atmospheric barriers. Unlike his previous work where the psychedelic aesthetic served to disguise reality, this new series uses similar visual techniques to fully embrace reality and explore what might exist beyond it. The artist explains that the exhibition reflects "many intimate things – a deep dive inward, an inner landscape, so to speak."
The series draws heavily on symbolism and mysticism, with Mata incorporating elements he has been contemplating for years. "There's a part where cacti intertwine with skeletons, but in reality, it's a very beautiful visual poem," he describes. "I tried to represent the moment when a cactus blooms – that instant when it dies to give new life to another – and that sparked much of the exhibition: life and death as a cycle." The exhibition also marks Mata's first venture into sculpture, bringing to three-dimensional life designs he has been drawing for years and even has tattooed on his body as amulets.
The sculptural elements include a cloud with thorns and a lightning bolt that originated from a dream, a cactus with an ascending snake symbolizing forward movement and rising above challenges, and meteorites falling as symbols of change, detonation, and explosion. Mata views these elements as representing three distinct stages of the series, all speaking to the concept of paradise from a mystical perspective.
Mata's creative process has evolved significantly for this exhibition. He spent considerable time researching symbols, archetypes, and studying the work of Hieronymus Bosch, particularly "The Garden of Earthly Delights," which he felt carried similar layers of complex information. "I struggled quite a bit with color – I changed the entire palette compared to my previous exhibition," he admits. His creative routine involves sketching while listening to music, walking, and cycling, which he considers intimate moments with himself when good ideas are born.
Despite experimenting with various media throughout his career, Mata remains drawn to oil painting for its tactile qualities and experimental possibilities. "I'm fascinated by the experimentation with pigment and how it changes when you mix tones, colors, and varnishes," he explains. "It's a challenging medium. I love painting because my process often begins digitally, and bringing it into the physical, analog world feels like giving it life." He continues to explore other media as well, with plans to return to working with stained glass, ceramics, and textiles.
Returning to exhibit in Mexico after three years abroad brought particular significance for Mata. "I was very nervous – it's my home, my country," he reflects. "I felt very supported by my gallery in Mexico City and by my assistants, who are also an essential part of the process. Mexico is a place full of artists and culture that continues to grow. Because of that, the level keeps rising in every aspect, and as a Mexican, that motivates me to work harder and raise the quality of my production."
Regarding audience reception, Mata maintains an open-minded approach to how viewers interpret his work. "An adventure, a game, mixed emotions," he says of what he hopes people take away from the exhibition. "Honestly, I don't like to expect anything – I like to feel that anything can happen. Of course, we all hope people enjoy the work, that it's seen in more places, that it reaches museums. But these days, being in Europe for a residency, it feels really good to see so many people visiting the gallery and sharing stories."
"Sublime Paraíso" opened on October 25, 2025, and continues to run at Maia Contemporary, located at Colima 159 in Mexico City's Roma Norte neighborhood. The exhibition represents not just a new chapter in Mata's artistic evolution, but also a homecoming that allows him to share his transformed vision with the cultural community that helped shape his artistic identity.
