Feria Material Art Fair 2025: 11th edition

Isabella Mellado’s visually arresting 21-foot triptych, “Baile para el Señor de los Muertos,” was set to make its highly anticipated debut at Feria Material, Vol. 11 in Mexico City today—but due to shipping delays, it remains in limbo, a victim of circumstances beyond anyone’s control.

This series of paintings, which explores the delicate balance between control and surrender, roots itself in a deeply personal performance staged in a Puerto Rican forest. There, Isa danced barefoot, masked, and holding a golden skeleton adorned with nail gems—captured on camera by her sister as the song of coquí frogs and the hum of insects echoed through the trees. This moment is a powerful meditation on mortality, ritual, and the strength found in embracing the unknown.

In the face of this setback, Isa is embracing the same themes of surrender and strength that her work explores. While we wait for the delivery delays to be resolved, she will continue her performance live today at Expo Reforma, using charcoal, a material made through the process of fire and endurance, to further her narrative within hand-made frames, impressed with hand-carved linoleum blocks, all crafted here in Mexico City. This impromptu live performance is Mellado’s bold and grounded response to the unpredictable. It’s nothing short of courageous, in addition to being a powerful testament to Mellado’s work ethic and dedication to her craft. As we wait for the release of her artwork, we witness Isa living her art, embracing uncertainty, and transforming a challenge into a stunning act of creation. We are so lucky to witness her gift and can’t wait to share it with Mexico City and the international audience this fair invites.