HELIO is a group exhibition of Mexican artists who have employed the use of traditional heliogravure in their practice. Dating back to the 19th century, heliogravure is a photographic printing process where a copper plate is exposed to a film-positive, then etched, and run through a traditional printing press that leaves an image on paper. 

As technology and access rapidly increased — particularly the speed of silver-gelatin printing and consistently evolving smartphone technology of the 21st century — heliogravure began to lose popularity, becoming an antiquated and somewhat obsolete process , however Heliogravure has seen a resurgence in recent years, and particularly in Mexico City as the workshop of artist and photographer Miguel Counahan has operated as a collaborative space for artists to learn the medium and process, and apply it to their own work. HELIO, is an exhibition of work by artists selected to visually interpret the sojourn of a Stoic — a narrative journey of the artist Miguel Counahan himself. It also illustrates the physical process of heliogravure itself through a selection of images, copper plates, positives, and tests done by all the artists who have passed through the studio, El Taller de Mike.

Artist: Mike Counahan @eltallerdemike, Eunice Adorno @euadorno, Silvana Agostoni @sagostoni, Tomás Casademunt @tomascasademunt, Fernando Etulain @fernandoetulain, Guillermo Espinoza @elgraficon, Gerardo González @lobo_mex, Pilar Goutas @pilargoutas, Fernanda de Icaza @fericaza, Magali Lara @estudio_magali.lara, Carlos Iván Hernandez #carlosivanhernández, Andrea Martínez @arenititas, Rafael Martinez @rafa_ms, Fabiola Menchelli @fabiolamenchelli, Alejandro Pintado @alejandropintado, Jorge Rosano Gamboa @jorgerosanogamboa, Carla Rippey @carlarippey, Uriel Salas @uriel__salas, Miguel Angel Salazar @wimpysalazar, Martin Soto Climent #martinsotocliment, Laureana Toledo @laureanatoledo , Yvonne Venegas  @yvovenegas, Mariana Yazbek @yazbekmfoto, Sergio Yazbek @seryazbekfoto, and Tamara Goutas @tamgoutas, curated by Leslie Moody Castro @lesliemoodycastro.

This exhibition could not have been possible without the support of Luca Berta, Elena Cibin and their entire team at the Venice Art Factory @veniceartfactory, and the unparalleled generosity of Maripili Goutas. Thank you to Mike, Leslie and Pilar for your incredible work and support.

For more information download the PDF from the show.