Iñaki Bonillas

Iñaki Bonillas is a conceptual artist renowned for his innovative approach to photography, employing captivating methods that transcend traditional boundaries.

Biography of Iñaki Bonillas

Iñaki Bonillas was born in 1981 in Mexico City, Mexico. He received several awards throughout his career, including the Isabel Price from Fundación COFF (2006) and the Purificación García Latin American Photography Acquisition Award, Zona Maco (2012). 

Bonillas's recent solo exhibitions include "Iñaki Bonillas: Interiors" at kurimanzutto in Mexico City (2024), "The Projectionist" at Galerie Nordenhake in Stockholm (2022), "Jazz Covers from the J.R. Plaza Archive" at Galerie Nordenhake in Mexico City (2020), "Marginalia" at kurimanzutto in New York (2019), and many more. 

He also participated in various group exhibitions, including "TODOS JUNTOS (All Together)" at kurimanzutto in New York (2022), "Excepciones Normales" at Museo Jumex in Mexico City (2021), "Companion Pieces: New Photography 2020" at The Museum of Modern Art in New York (2020), "Inter-medio" at Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo in Mexico City (2019), "Accrochage #5" at ProjecteSD in Barcelona (2019), among others.

Iñaki Bonillas has also presented his works at numerous international showcases, including the 9th Bienal Internacional de Fotografía (1999), the Tirana Biennial (2001), the 50th International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennial (2003), the 30th Bienal de São Paulo (2012), Chicago Architecture Biennial (2015), Bienal FEMSA (2024). 

Currently, Iñaki Bonillas continues to live and work in Mexico City. 

Iñaki Bonillas's Art Style

Despite not identifying as a photographer, Iñaki Bonillas has been integrating photography into his artistic practice since the late 1990s. Drawing inspiration from the aesthetics and conceptual practices of the 1960s and 1970s, he systematically dissects the components of photography and intertwines them with other artistic processes.

Initially trained in image manipulation while serving as an assistant in a photographer's studio, Bonillas experienced a transformative shift in his practice upon inheriting his grandfather's extensive photo archive. The J. R. Plaza Archive became the cornerstone of over twenty works produced by the artist between 2003 and 2016.

However, Bonillas's exploration extends beyond this archive. Over the years, he has meticulously crafted a robust body of work that delves into the cultural history of photography, shedding light on the medium's structural dynamics and its role in shaping identity.