At MAPI Café we have the exhibition “Archaeology of a floor: a selective look at some hydraulic floors” by the Montevideo artist José Gómez Rifas, who is also a professor of Artistic Techniques and Drawing.

Currently, he uses textile resources as expressive means in his artistic approaches. In this exhibition, the artist rescues tiles from the Museo de Arte Precolombino e Indígena (MAPI) and many other places, to explore their history and aesthetics from an archaeological perspective.
Gómez Rifas does not limit himself to MAPI tiles, but also incorporates pieces found at various historical and architectural sites.

This approach allows him to draw a cultural and temporal map of hydraulic floors, highlighting their evolution and the impact they have had in different contexts. His selective gaze allows us to investigate the cultural and artistic meanings of the hydraulic floors presented. Through his work, Gómez Rifas highlights the importance of these elements in the construction of the visual identity of spaces.

Tiles, beyond their utilitarian function, are seen as silent witnesses of history, reflecting styles, techniques and trends of different periods. Each tile selected by the artist carries with it a historical and aesthetic charge, inviting the viewer to reflect on the heritage value of these everyday objects.

The exhibition not only celebrates the intrinsic beauty of hydraulic 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’ exhibition becomes a space for dialogue between art, history and archaeology, offering a renewed vision of elements that often go unnoticed.

His work invites us to rediscover the richness of the details and the depth of the meanings hidden under our feet, bringing a new dimension to the appreciation of hydraulic floors. This event will be a special occasion for art, history and culture lovers, providing them with an enriching and unique experience.