Clotilde Jiménez
Reporte Indigo

The article from Reporte Indigo presents La Gruta, an opera by Afro–Puerto Rican artist Clotilde Jiménez, who has lived in the center of Mexico City for six years. The work is inspired by a supernatural anecdote from his wife about the disappearance of a boy named Leopoldo in a river in Guerrero, who was taken by "chaneques" and subsequently expelled from his community, forcing him to migrate to the United States. Jiménez was captivated not only by the story but also by its deep social and political background.  

 

"From the beginning, I knew I had to do something with that story. There is magic in our land, just like in Puerto Rico. But telling these stories requires self-love, pride, and a conviction to recognize and share them. We need a different lens to see ourselves in the future, to proudly say that we come from a village.

 

It is very important for me to break social barriers, especially in a medium like opera, which is usually very European. That's fine, but in 2024, I want to see more people represented with dignity, and I believe the only way to do that is through mesofuturism," the artist asserts.

 

His exhibition at the Museo Jumex is accompanied by other pieces, such as collages, wooden sculptures imagining the "chaneques," masks, and other objects that reflect the visual imagination of the community and the story that inspired the work. 

 

Excerpted words written by Abida Ventura for Reporte Indigo