
daniel guzmán
1964, Mexico City
Voracious reader and incurable music lover, Daniel Guzmán digests, absorbs and recombines musical and literary references at his own discretion. His work is marked by an almost autobiographical sincerity. Comics and cartoons, song lyrics, Pre-Hispanic iconography and sensational press clippings – residues of the artist’s daily life in Mexico City and, more recently, in Guadalajara – combine and reconfigure as part of his vocabulary. Resulting from a constant, disciplined search, his drawings are guided by his hand’s intuition, which translates his references and imagination unto paper. Ink, pencil, acrylic or pastel alike serve to create images that seem to be in constant transformation, and which sometimes interlace with texts in a complex weave of connections and connotations. His sculptures, videos and installations are a reflection of a very personal and intimate territory, that emerges from such close examination of the culture and the urban landscape that surrounds him. With a strategic and contagious sense of humor, Guzmán shares the wide range of influences he has cultivated, and through which he reflects upon his experience of the world.
Guzmán earned his BFA in 1993 from the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas in Mexico City. In 2000, he was a resident at the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) in New York. He has been the recipient of various grants and awards from the Mexican Ministry of Culture, including: Sistema Nacional de Creadores (2005); FONCA: Jóvenes Creadores (1997); and the 1st Place from the II Concurso de Instalación Ex Teresa Arte Actual (1996).
Daniel Guzmán lives and works in Guadalajara, Mexico.
untitled, (from the series paisaje mental), 1996
ink on paper
15.75 x 25.2 in.
untitled, (from the series paisaje mental), 1996
ink on paper
15.75 x 25.2 in.
untitled (es como burroughs, from the series carne negra), 1994
mixed media
23.62 x 27.56 in.
untitled (si me voy corriendo from the series carne negra), 1994
mixed media
23.62 x 27.56 in.
untitled (cosa rica, from the series carne negra), 1994
mixed media
23.62 x 27.56 in.
hijo de tu puta madre (ya se quien eres, te he estado observando), caridad, 2001
drawings, collages and collected material
variable dimensions
hijo de tu puta madre (ya se quien eres, te he estado observando), esperanza, 2001
drawings, collages, and collected material
variable dimensions
hijo de tu puta madre (ya se quien eres, te he estado observando), fe, 2001
drawings, collages and collected material
variable dimensions
de monstruos, hienas, hombres y el vacío II, 2008
ink and acrylic on paper
27.56 x 39.37 in.
dazed and confused, 2004
painted wood and plastic bananas
24.02 x .47 x 34.65 in.
new york groove, 2004
video transferred to DVD
3 min
momentos irrepetibles, 2000
video transferred to DVD
1:30 min
fuck you too (from the series la búsqueda del ombligo), 2005-2007
ink on paper on wood panel
82.68 x 70.87 x 1.38 in.
i am not an animal (from the series la búsqueda del ombligo), 2005-2007
ink on paper on wood panel
82.68 x 70.87 x 1.38 in.
abi road (from the series la búsqueda del ombligo), 2005-2007
ink on paper on wood panel
82.68 x 70.87 x 1.38 in.
workoholic (from the series la búsqueda del ombligo), 2005-2007
ink on paper on wood panel
82.68 x 70.87 x 1.38 in.
good days-bad days (para leónidas), 2010
metal and 12 tezontle stones
35.04 x 46.85 x 43.5 in.
i.s., 2006
enamel and iron
set of two metallic structures, 83.46 x 271.65 x 107.48 in. each
carnicería, (from the series el gráfico), 2008
carbon paper and ink on paper
49 x 49 in.
que poca mare, (from the series el gráfico), 2008
carbon paper and ink on paper
49 x 49 in.
zona de guerra, (from the series el gráfico), 2008
carbon paper and ink on paper
49 x 49 in.
jimmie, 2006
golden fantasy chains, fantasy earrings, plastic net and foam
112.2 x 14.7 in.
exilio, 2006
acrylic on wall
1.05 x 3.82 x .1 in.
useless beauty, 2006
painted iron, fantasy jewlery
35.43 x 19.69 x 19.69 in.
used beauty, 2006
iron, fantasy jewlery
22.44 x 10.63 in.
untitled (don´t hurt a woman, from the series sanson blind), 2009
chinese ink on paper
18.9 x 22.76 in.
untitled (some are born to the endless night, from the series sanson blind), 2009
chinese ink on paper
22.76 x 18.9 in.
untitled (what a wonderful world, from the series sanson blind), 2009
chinese ink on paper
22.76 x 18.9 in.
p.p.p. retrato II (from the series the world doesn't want me any more and doesn't know it), 2006
acrylic on wood
19.69 x 15.75 x .98 in.
p.p.p. levitation (from the series the world doesn't want me any more and doesn't know it), 2006
acrylic on wood
19.69 x 15.75 x .98 in.
p.p.p. crow (from the series the world doesn't want me any more and doesn't know it), 2006
acrylic on wood
19.69 x 15.75 x .98 in.
el secreto del mal, 2008
hd video
16:36 min
untitled VIII, (from the series impasse), 2009
chinese ink on paper
18.9 x 22.64 in.
untitled VII (from the series impasse), 2009
chinese ink on paper
22.76 x 18.9 in.
untitled VI (from the series impasse), 2009
chinese ink on paper
18.9 x 22.83 in.
untitled, from the series soup, cosmos and tears, 2011
charcoal, pencil and chinese ink on paper
47.64 x 47.64 in.
soup, cosmos and tears vs. the detroit kid I (homenaje a mike kelley), 2012
charcoal, pencil and chinese ink on paper
47.64 x 47.64 in.
soup, cosmos and tears vs. the detroit kid II (homenaje a mike kelley), 2012
charcoal, pencil and chinese ink on paper
47.64 x 47.64 in.
untitled, (from the series paisaje mental), 1996
ink on paper
15.75 x 25.2 in.
untitled, (from the series paisaje mental), 1996
ink on paper
15.75 x 25.2 in.
untitled (es como burroughs, from the series carne negra), 1994
mixed media
23.62 x 27.56 in.
untitled (si me voy corriendo from the series carne negra), 1994
mixed media
23.62 x 27.56 in.
untitled (cosa rica, from the series carne negra), 1994
mixed media
23.62 x 27.56 in.
hijo de tu puta madre (ya se quien eres, te he estado observando), caridad, 2001
drawings, collages and collected material
variable dimensions
hijo de tu puta madre (ya se quien eres, te he estado observando), esperanza, 2001
drawings, collages, and collected material
variable dimensions
hijo de tu puta madre (ya se quien eres, te he estado observando), fe, 2001
drawings, collages and collected material
variable dimensions
de monstruos, hienas, hombres y el vacío II, 2008
ink and acrylic on paper
27.56 x 39.37 in.
dazed and confused, 2004
painted wood and plastic bananas
24.02 x .47 x 34.65 in.
new york groove, 2004
video transferred to DVD
3 min
momentos irrepetibles, 2000
video transferred to DVD
1:30 min
fuck you too (from the series la búsqueda del ombligo), 2005-2007
ink on paper on wood panel
82.68 x 70.87 x 1.38 in.
i am not an animal (from the series la búsqueda del ombligo), 2005-2007
ink on paper on wood panel
82.68 x 70.87 x 1.38 in.
abi road (from the series la búsqueda del ombligo), 2005-2007
ink on paper on wood panel
82.68 x 70.87 x 1.38 in.
workoholic (from the series la búsqueda del ombligo), 2005-2007
ink on paper on wood panel
82.68 x 70.87 x 1.38 in.
good days-bad days (para leónidas), 2010
metal and 12 tezontle stones
35.04 x 46.85 x 43.5 in.
i.s., 2006
enamel and iron
set of two metallic structures, 83.46 x 271.65 x 107.48 in. each
carnicería, (from the series el gráfico), 2008
carbon paper and ink on paper
49 x 49 in.
que poca mare, (from the series el gráfico), 2008
carbon paper and ink on paper
49 x 49 in.
zona de guerra, (from the series el gráfico), 2008
carbon paper and ink on paper
49 x 49 in.
jimmie, 2006
golden fantasy chains, fantasy earrings, plastic net and foam
112.2 x 14.7 in.
exilio, 2006
acrylic on wall
1.05 x 3.82 x .1 in.
useless beauty, 2006
painted iron, fantasy jewlery
35.43 x 19.69 x 19.69 in.
used beauty, 2006
iron, fantasy jewlery
22.44 x 10.63 in.
untitled (don´t hurt a woman, from the series sanson blind), 2009
chinese ink on paper
18.9 x 22.76 in.
untitled (some are born to the endless night, from the series sanson blind), 2009
chinese ink on paper
22.76 x 18.9 in.
untitled (what a wonderful world, from the series sanson blind), 2009
chinese ink on paper
22.76 x 18.9 in.
p.p.p. retrato II (from the series the world doesn't want me any more and doesn't know it), 2006
acrylic on wood
19.69 x 15.75 x .98 in.
p.p.p. levitation (from the series the world doesn't want me any more and doesn't know it), 2006
acrylic on wood
19.69 x 15.75 x .98 in.
p.p.p. crow (from the series the world doesn't want me any more and doesn't know it), 2006
acrylic on wood
19.69 x 15.75 x .98 in.
el secreto del mal, 2008
hd video
16:36 min
untitled VIII, (from the series impasse), 2009
chinese ink on paper
18.9 x 22.64 in.
untitled VII (from the series impasse), 2009
chinese ink on paper
22.76 x 18.9 in.
untitled VI (from the series impasse), 2009
chinese ink on paper
18.9 x 22.83 in.
untitled, from the series soup, cosmos and tears, 2011
charcoal, pencil and chinese ink on paper
47.64 x 47.64 in.
soup, cosmos and tears vs. the detroit kid I (homenaje a mike kelley), 2012
charcoal, pencil and chinese ink on paper
47.64 x 47.64 in.
soup, cosmos and tears vs. the detroit kid II (homenaje a mike kelley), 2012
charcoal, pencil and chinese ink on paper
47.64 x 47.64 in.
Past solo exhibitions include: La modernidad insufrible, dibujos de segunda mano, Taller Popular, Oaxaca, Mexico (2025); The man who should be dead: Notes on the Dead House, the Fire and the Tale, kurimanzutto, New York (2024); Somewhere inside: ISCP and the Studio, ISCP, New York (2024); The man who should be dead: You have to enter to leave, kurimanzutto, Mexico City (2023); El hombre que debería estar muerto. La batalla futura, Museo Cabañas, Guadalajara, Mexico (2022); Soup, Cosmos & Tears, Museo de la Ciudad de Querétaro, Mexico (2017) and Museo Universitario del Chopo, Mexico City (2016); Chromosome Damage, Drawing Room, London (2014); Daniel Guzmán: Materia Oscura, MAZ – Museo de Arte de Zapopan and MACO – Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Mexico (2011); Double Album: Daniel Guzmán and Steven Shearer, New Museum, New York and Museo Universitario de Ciencias y Arte (MUCA), Mexico City (2008), among others.
His work has also been included in numerous international group exhibitions, including: The Campus: Annual exhibition, Hudson, New York (2025); Copy Machine Manifestos: Artists Who Make Zines, Brooklyn Museum, New York (2023); Excepciones normales: Arte contemporáneo en México, Museo Jumex, Mexico City (2021); El tiempo en las cosas II. Salas de Arte Contemporáneo, Museo Amparo, Puebla, Mexico (2021); Jalisco: diálogos cruzados, Museo Cabañas, Guadalajara, Mexico (2020); Nacido en casa. Devenires y porvenires del oficio de la tapicería Alto Liso en Jalisco, 1968–2018, Museo Amparo, Puebla, Mexico (2018); Saber Acomodar: Art and Workshops of Jalisco 1915–Now, MCA Denver, Colorado (2017); Between Words and Silence: Meaning, Understanding, and the Work of Translation, Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena, California (2017); Strange Currencies: Art & Action in Mexico city 1990-2000, The Galleries at Moore, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2015); El hombre al desnudo: Dimensiones de la masculinidad a partir de 1800, Museo Nacional de Arte (MUNAL), Mexico City (2014); México Inside Out: Themes in Art Since 1990, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas (2013); Arqueológica, Matadero Madrid (2013); Diference on Display, Niet Normaal, Amsterdam and MUPO – Museo de los Pintores Oaxaqueños, Oaxaca, Mexico (2011); El horizonte del topo, Bozar. Centre for Fine Arts – Brussels, Belgium (2010); Where Do We Go From Here? Selections from la Colección Jumex, Bass Museum of Art, Miami (2009); An Unruly History of the Readymade, Museo Jumex, Mexico City (2008); Escultura social: A New Generation of Art from Mexico City, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA Chicago) (2007); Playback, Musée d’Art moderne de la Ville de Paris (2007), among others.
Guzmán has participated in many international biennials and festivals, including: 55th Carnegie International, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (2008); 5th Berlin Biennial (2008); 35th International Film Festival Rotterdam, The Netherlands (2006); 9th Istanbul Biennial (2005); 50th International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennial (2003); 4th Gwangju Biennale, South Korea (2002).
kurimanzutto is proud to announce the group exhibition: Normal Exceptions: Contemporary Art in Mexico in Museo Jumex in which Abraham Cruzvillegas, Daniel Guzmán, Damián Ortega, Eduardo Abaroa, Gabriel Kuri, Gabriel Orozco, Iñaki Bonillas, and Miguel Calderón participate.
Listen to the playlist Punk: sus rastros en el arte contemporáneo by Daniel Guzmán, Dr. Lakra and Miguel Calderón on Spotify.
Listen to the playlist Daniel Guzmán meets Patti Smith created by both of them on Spotify.