At MAPI Café we present the exhibition “Archaeology of a floor: a selective look at some hydraulic tile floors” by Montevideo artist José Gómez Rifas, who is also a professor of Artistic Techniques and Drawing. He currently uses textile resources as expressive media in his artistic work.

In this exhibition, the artist rescues tiles from the Museum of Pre-Columbian and Indigenous Art (MAPI) and many other places to explore their history and aesthetics from an archaeological perspective. Gómez Rifas does not limit himself to MAPI’s tiles; he also incorporates pieces found at various historic and architectural sites. This approach allows him to trace a cultural and temporal map of hydraulic tile floors, highlighting their evolution and the impact they have had in different contexts.

His selective gaze makes it possible to explore the cultural and artistic meanings of the hydraulic tile floors on display. Through his work, Gómez Rifas highlights the importance of these elements in the construction of the visual identity of spaces. Beyond their utilitarian function, the tiles are seen as silent witnesses of history, reflecting styles, techniques, and trends from different periods.

Each tile selected by the artist carries a historical and aesthetic weight, inviting the viewer to reflect on the heritage value of these everyday objects. The exhibition not only celebrates the intrinsic beauty of hydraulic tile floors but also proposes a narrative in which past and present intertwine, showing how these elements continue to influence our perception of space and culture.

In this context, Gómez Rifas’s exhibition becomes a space for dialogue between art, history, and archaeology, offering a renewed view of elements that often go unnoticed. His work invites us to rediscover the richness of the details and the depth of the meanings hidden beneath our feet, adding a new dimension to the appreciation of hydraulic tile floors.

This event will be a special occasion for lovers of art, history, and culture, offering them an enriching and unique experience.