Francis Alÿs
Sunpath, Mexico City, 27.04.99. 6.13pm, 1999

31,2 x 64,3 cm
Cibachrome print mounted digital print and framed.
Stamped on the print ‘Francis ALYS © / Zocalo, Mexico, D.F.’. with a label
including the title, date and edition of ‘4’ stamped by the artist on verso.
Edition of 4
Courtesy of the artist, Francis Alÿs.

Francis Alÿs found, in the famous Plaza Zocalo (Plaza de la Constitucion) in Mexico City, the perfect theater-like stage showing the routine performance of people and their relation to the political power symbolized by the impressive Mexican flag hanging on top of this square. The irony that Alÿs wants to highlight is that people are not standing to praise their flag and national symbol but rather to naturally find a shelter from the strong sunlight.

Taking images over several days, the artist uses time as a witness and as a way to reflect over the symbols of power and the relationship between humans and their surrounding architecture. On the right of each image is the date and light formula determining the length of the shadow during that specific day. As a celebrated contemporary artist Francis Alÿs combines documentary and social photographs with text and performance-like art in this conceptual work.

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