Francis Alys

A close look at the Mexico City-based artist's lyrical expansions of art into life.Survey by Cuauhtémoc Medina, Interview by Russell Ferguson, Focus by Jean Fisher, Artist's Choice by Augusto Monterroso, Writings by Francis Alÿs A look at the Mexico City-based artist's lyrical expansions of art into life. The work of Francis Alÿs (b.1959) blurs the boundaries between the artist and the subject This is the first comprehensive monograph on the artist's diverse body of work He employs a range of media – including painting, video, and other more unorthodox materials – in innovative takes on observation, participation and performance Alÿs's work stems from his interest in the powera that shape urban existence, as well as the innovative schemes that ordinary individuals devise to subvert them Alÿs invents his own fables, weaving them into the social fabric of such cities as Venice, London and Mexico City, his home for nearly 20 years Alys´s work has been included in the world's top international exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale (2001), the Carnegie International (2004) and the São Paulo Biennial (2004) 250 colour photographs, 50 black and white photographs