Now open at Galerie im Körnerpark, Juan Pablo Macías’s ‘Tiempo Muerto’ reveals a forgotten side of anarchist history.
By Duncan Ballantyne-Way
In 2007, Mexican artist Juan Pablo Macías developed an interest in anarchism – a set of beliefs that seeks to dismantle hierarchical government in favour of a mutualistic society. “But it was incredibly hard to find any information,” he recalls.
“The only available resource was a library in Mexico City, but its collection had been confiscated, and it faced eviction due to unpaid rent.” Determined to try and save it, Macías sought ways to secure funding. “I’m always looking to divert money from the art world to finance the library’s activities and any form of anarchist militancy.”
Founded in 1978 by Catalonian political exile Ricardo Mestre, the Biblioteca Social Reconstruir became the foundation for Macías’ lifelong engagement with anarchism and libertarianism. This work led him to establish the digital archive Biblioteca de Anarquismo y Anarquistas and launch Tiempo Muerto (“dead time”), a publication dedicated to exploring anarchist practice. “It’s my way of understanding anarchism,” he explains, “its relationship with art, and as a tool to interrogate the power structures that shape our worldview.”
