Francis Alÿs: Walking Distance From The Studio

Hatje Cantz Publishers
Essay by Annelie Lütgens. Interview by Corinne Diserens. Preface by Gijs van Tuyl.

The ephemeral--the temporary, fleeting character of life--is a central principle in the art of Francis Als, the Belgian-born artist who currently resides in Mexico. He conceives his works in his own immediate surroundings--on walks through the streets of Mexico City. Working in the traditions of Fluxus and the Situationalists, he is captivated by such images as a wind-blown plastic bag, or sleeping homeless peoples, or the wandering shadow of a flag pole on the Plaza Major. Als's explorations of public space and social conditions in Mexico City are the primary focus of this lavisly illustrated publication that features the artist's Ambulantes (1992-2002), a slide series devoted to the itinerant street merchants of the Mexican megacity. The book also offers a current survey of his subversive, often politically-motivated work.