Ana Segovia’s work challenges dominant narratives of masculinity, particularly those propagated through the lasting influence of the film industry and the enduring Western trope. In Pos’ se acabó este cantar (2021), exhibited alongside a pair of paintings that represent Segovia’s diverse style, she also introduces her first film, giving life and movement to her fluorescent scenes. Featuring two charros (Mexican cowboys) wearing custom-made traditional suits with altered hues, Segovia’s close-up is staged almost like a screen test, revealing a certain homoeroticism amongst the actors and inviting viewers to reconsider the dynamics within male-centric environments. The charro, portrayed by Segovia in the film, is a recurring stereotype in Mexican culture and is particularly associated as a proto-masculine figure. After Segovia’s sartorial requests were denied by many tailors due to what they derogatorily referred to as “fag” fabrics, the suits featured in the film were created by the charro grandson of the tailor of Jorge Negrete – an iconic film star of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema who still embodies the idea of masculinity in the country.
This is the first time the work of Ana Segovia is presented at the Biennale Arte.
—José Esparza Chong Cuy
