when there were more donkeys than icosahedrons | gabriel rico

In his sculptures and installations, Gabriel Rico combines natural materials and industrial objects to question the ambivalent relationship between human and nature.

This OVR accompanies the solo exhibition when there were more donkeys than icosahedrons in collaboration with OMR, Mexico City as part of Various Others 2022. Further information on the individual works can be found by clicking on the images.

Rather than the obvious object (Theorem) (2021) | Photo: Diego Argüelles

All photos © the artist, courtesy OMR, Mexico City and photos Dirk Tacke | unless otherwise stated

"All works are related to human knowledge, like for example, geometry or mathematics or physics or philosophy. In the end, I like to just express my vision of life, mixing all these kinds of different material that on first expression don't have a clear relationship."

– Gabriel Rico


May You Live In Interesting Times, 58th International Venice Biennial (2019) | Photo: Haupt & Binder

"The importance that artist Gabriel Rico places on the neon tube is a collision between the artificial and the natural. He refers to his use of neon as an extension of his hand, which allows him to 'draw' as if with a graphite pencil, or 'living flame'."

– Julio César Morales, curator


Hey! Look at me! I'm totally entangled with not-me!  Beiqiu Museum, CN (2022) | Photo: Courtesy of Beiquiu Museum

"I use deconstruction and re-contextualization as methods to continue the development of my investigation in areas such as knowledge materializations, the origin of information & the fragility of space. My work is a reflection on the nature of the pieces from the materials used to produce them and their arrangement in the final composition."

– Gabriel Rico


Proximidad, The Power Station, Dallas (2017) | Photo: Courtesy of Estudio Gabriel Rico

Gabriel Rico is often developing an augmented reality for his exhibitions and installations that introduces an additional space-time layer for the viewer, merging the physical and virtual elements into an expanded experience.

In when there were more donkeys than icosahedrons, a human organism without skin – that defies any social attributions – interacts with the real artworks in the space. In the process, its organs grow into tumor-like proliferations until they finally take on the shapes of icosahedrons. The digital sculpture introduces another metaphysical level of meaning.

Screenshot of the AR Experience

→ artist page Gabriel Rico

Rather than the obvious object (Theorem) (2021) | Photo: Guillaume Ziccarelli