The Activation of Antimonuments as a Hegemonic Practice of Care and Neutralization in Mexico City

Abstract

This article analyzes the transformations that the practice of placing fences in front of buildings and monuments during feminist protests in Mexico City has undergone from 2019 to the present. To do so, it explores conceptual frameworks beyond Art History, aiming to share alternative theoretical-methodological approaches to the study of visual practices in public space. First, the analytical limitations of approaches from the artistic field are highlighted. Then, recurrent strategies in these demonstrations, such as montage, palimpsest, and parasitism, are identified. Finally, the analysis shows how hegemonic practices of care and preservation of spaces with patrimonial or cultural value in Mexico City simultaneously involve the activation and neutralization of certain antimonuments.