As we enter this exhibition, we are greeted by a scene that evokes both the enigma of ancient times and the cunning of illicit acts. Five silhouettes of monkeys stand, carrying in their hands pre-Hispanic treasures belonging to the rich and ancestral culture of ancient Mexico. These characters are about to embark on a clandestine journey, transporting objects from an ancient world to a modern one. Through these pieces, a complex narrative is unveiled: that of a heritage that has been displaced, looted, and directed to collections and museums around the world. This encounter is the beginning of a reflection on how history and culture can be simultaneously protected and betrayed, revealing the duality of the dissemination and desecration of ancestral treasures.

The Jacobo María Ángeles Workshop has decided to interpret the splendor of pre-Hispanic work and to expose the act and the agents of looting. These agents, although involved in illegal activities, have been inadvertently responsible for the “diffusion” of our culture through the black market and exhibitions in foreign museums. The intention is to highlight the human action of desecrating tombs, uprooting valuable objects with which ancient civilizations were buried, to satisfy the demand for private collections and museum exhibits, especially during the processes of colonization.

At the same time, the idea that the value of the extracted pieces lies not only in their materiality, but also in the context where they were found, their geographic location and their relationship with other objects. When extracted, these pieces lose the context that gives them meaning. Without this connection, they become mere market objects, stripped of their identity and reducing their educational and symbolic power.

“Thieves of Ruins” invites a deep reflection on the processes of extraction, research and preservation of cultural artifacts, and how these processes are perceived and carried out in different latitudes. The collection not only celebrates beauty and artistic skill, but also opens a dialogue on the ethics and implications of cultural conservation, questioning the dynamics of power and ownership that underlie these practices.