Karen Huber is a celebrated Mexican curator and gallerist based in Mexico City, renowned for her visionary approach to showcasing contemporary Latin American art and championing innovative contemporary proposals, whether through groundbreaking artists or forward-thinking projects. With a deep understanding of the region's artistic landscape, Huber has been instrumental in bridging cultural divides and introducing Latin American artists to global audiences. Her expertise ensures that Arte Sur will be a transformative addition to Art Toronto, offering collectors and enthusiasts a rare opportunity to engage with the finest works from Central and South America.

I am truly excited to curate and be part of a section that celebrates Latin American art, with all its many layers and faces. I do not wish to confine it within rigid definitions, as aesthetics today are widely shared across the globe. Yet, to understand the stories behind it—of resistance, territory, politics, contemplation, and identity—is to recognize its profound richness. Latin America has long deserved its rightful place, and now is the time to give it. More than ever, what we need is union, alliance, and collaboration—not only among individuals, but across the art world, among cultures, and between fairs. In doing so, we raise our collective voice and are fortunate to be seen and acknowledged within a platform as significant as Art Toronto.

For this edition of Arte Sur, I was inspired to explore the boundaries between Arts and Crafts and Fine Art, and to do so by looking at galleries that may be based in emblematic art cities such as New York, or in provinces a bit more distant from the center, like Rosario, Argentina. For me, it was important to find galleries that work both with Indigenous artists and with artists within the Latin American territory, and in this way to seek out those intersections between artists, countries, and traditions that ultimately come together under the umbrella of a Latin American territory.

Every gallery participating in Arte Sur brings its own unique personality. The artists featured embrace craft practices as spaces of freedom and inquiry, developing quiet yet powerful visual languages that bridge the ancestral and the contemporary, the symbolic and the political. Their work engages with cosmologies, landscapes, and oral histories, navigating processes of preservation and transformation.

From exploring the natural landscape of San José as a way of question belonging, memory, and identity, to weaving mythological narratives where animals, plants, spirits, and humans and even anime are interconnected, the projects open pathways to reflect on the region’s complexities. They examine the body as a vital nexus where identity, memory, and territory intersect, embodying the diversity and vibrancy that define the Latin American art scene today.

Latin American art has always carried bold narratives and innovative techniques rooted in diverse histories, geographies, and traditions. The galleries in Arte Sur embody this richness by presenting artists who merge ancestral knowledge with contemporary practices, crafting languages that are both deeply local and globally resonant.

They not only showcase the vibrancy of the region but also propose models of resilience, hybridity, and innovation that expand the very definition of contemporary art. In this way, Arte Sur positions Latin America as a key player in shaping the future of cultural conversations worldwide.

Now more than ever, the Fair is a place to discover new worlds and experience the artistic production of countries across the globe. Arte Sur creates a space where diverse voices come together—each offering unique disciplines, perspectives, and intersections. I hope visitors enter this section in an immersive way, opening all their senses to connect with the works exhibited, artists, gallerists, and with one another. In the end, art speaks a universal language—one that reaches us in different yet deeply meaningful ways.

Everything excites me! Canada is already such a welcoming place—a true mosaic of cultures and identities. Bringing Latin American art into this context feels natural, as we are too close geographically and culturally not to be part of the conversation. What thrills me most is the chance to create genuine encounters: to let Canadian audiences discover the depths, complexity, and warmth of Latin America, and to see how these voices resonate within a broader global dialogue. It’s in this exchange that art truly comes alive.

Rodrigo Ramírez, All The Above Has Been Devoured, 2025 (Swivel Gallery)