Hypnotasis: Yoshua Okón

Yoshua Okón’s work has been rooted in the language of performance since the 1990s. Positioned between reality and fiction, he interacts with other individuals to create narratives, which are later presented as video installations and documentary-based photographs. It is in this interplay between truth and fiction that Okón constructs a code of conduct, articulating a language that frames his perspective on society, addressing themes of corruption, poverty, abuse, and violence.

At Baró Galeria, Okón will present two works: Hot Dog Stick (2010) and Hipnostasis (2009), the latter created in collaboration with Raymond Pettibon. Both works explicitly reveal the artist’s engagement with these social dimensions. Through his practice, Yoshua reconstructs reality, transforming local perspectives into universal issuesconcerning race, power, violence, and historical heritage.

In Hot Dog Stick, the artist examines the cultural and historical significance of the American Pit Bull, a breed commonly associated with dog fighting. Through a recreation of neutering rituals, Okón juxtaposes simultaneous choreographed sequences of aggression and rage with the calm and emotional detachment of the dogs' owners.

In Hipnostasis, Okón and Pettibon explore their experience with a past-life regression therapist. The session provided the foundation for a multi-channel installation that delves into the counterculture of aging hippies in Venice Beach, depicting an alternative, non-materialistic community.

Yoshua Okón (Mexico City, 1970) lives and works in Mexico City. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Concordia University, Montreal, Canada, and a Master of Fine Arts from UCLA, Los Angeles, USA.