CARLOS VALDEZ-KEHOE

THE HACIENDA MUST BE BUILT

The hacienda, according to Ivan Chetcheglov in the text ‘Formulary for a New Urbanism’, represents the oppressive and hierarchical structures in the context of urban spaces. In Mexico, Hacienda refers to the government body responsible for collecting taxes, managing public finances, and overseeing economic policy. In both cases, this concept alludes to a superior entity of control and dominance. ‘The Hacienda must be built’ draws from this concept and proposes an exploration of desire, economy and modernism through the reinterpretation of my family’s housing aspirations and the materiality found in diverse architectures of Mexico City.

The project consists of four testimonies — one for each member of my family — alluding to a ‘dream house’ and reinterpreted as sculptures. The used materials were the ones described by my family and then found, or extracted, from other houses in Mexico City. The project is complemented by a reading aloud my family’s 2017 financial statements.

Year — 2017

Medium — Installation

Untitled (From the series ‘The hacienda must be built’), 2017 | Fake rock made out of plaster, stucco and sediments. 17 x 8 x 12 cm.

Untitled (From the series ‘The hacienda must be built’), 2017 | Fake rock made out of plaster, stucco and sediments. 17 x 8 x 12 cm.

Untitled (From the series ‘The hacienda must be built’), 2017 | Volcanic rock and replica made out of concrete, 17 x 22 x 16 cm.

Untitled (From the series ‘The hacienda must be built’), 2017 | Volcanic rock and replica made out of concrete, 17 x 22 x 16 cm.

Untitled (From the series ‘The hacienda must be built’), 2017 | Small pieces of marble taken from garden sculptures. 13 x 13 x 5 cm.

Untitled (From the series ‘The hacienda must be built’), 2017 | Small pieces of marble taken from garden sculptures. 13 x 13 x 5 cm.

Untitled (From the series ‘The hacienda must be built’), 2017 | One ton of fertile soil and dead plant, variable dimension.

Untitled (From the series ‘The hacienda must be built’), 2017 | One ton of fertile soil and dead plant, variable dimension.