In Leonora Carrington´s oeuvre, fantastic animals and beings inhabit magical worlds. Goddesses and magicians perform rituals in places filled with symbols and references abound to a range of occult traditions dating back to antiquity.

Her paintings bring together Celtic traditions and Egyptian, Hebrew, Mesopotamian and Greek mysteries. There are references To alchemy, astrology, the Cabala, Tarot, herbalism, magic and witchcraft. As Edward James once stated: “her paintings sometimes Seem to have materialized in a cauldron at the stroke of midnight. Carrington´s interest in magic and witchcraft began in childhood and expanded with her encounter with the surrealists. Nevertheless, the imprint of Mexico and the Mesoamerican religions and magical rituals has often been overlooked. In this talk I will explore the syncretism of some of the Celtic and British traditions and the ones she encounter once she settled in Mexico where she produced the majority of her work.

Tere Arcq was Chief Curator of the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico and Director of an International Art Investment Fund. As an independent curator, she creates and produces exhibitions in Mexico and abroad. Her most recent is Leonora Carrington Magical Tales at Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City and MARCO in Monterrey. In 2012 she curated In Wonderland. The Adventures of Women Surrealists in Mexico and the United States, an international project presented at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), The National Museum of Fine Arts in Quebec and The Modern Art Museum in Mexico.

Her expertise in the art world includes, teaching; edition of art books and exhibition catalogues; collaboration in the production of documentaries and short films on artists and the design and organization of specialized art tours for collectors. She is a frequent lecturer at museums, institutions and universities worldwide.

Tere Arcq is an Art Historian with a Masters Degree in Museum Studies and Art Management.