Mexico City Art Week 2026 and Zona Maco’s 22nd Edition
Insights from founder Zélika García and what’s new this year at the fair and around the city
This week the global art world turns its gaze toward Mexico City. Anchoring the city’s bustling Art Week is ZⓈONAMACO, the largest art fair platform in Latin America, which returns for its 22nd edition, 4 – 8 February 2026 at Centro Banamex. With over 200 galleries from 26 countries participating this year, the fair continues to evolve under the leadership of its founder Zélika García. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a seasoned collector, this year’s edition promises significant structural changes and exclusive collaborations.
Zélika García is the driving force behind the professionalization of the art market in Mexico. Starting her career in Monterrey where she launched her first fair in 2002, she moved the project to Mexico City in 2003 and transformed it into the cultural juggernaut it is today. She’s an artist whose time has become consumed with the vision and execution—she manages the business side of a massive event that attracts museum groups from all over the world, yet she remains deeply involved in the creative minutiae. When we spoke with her last week Garcia shared her hands-on approach to the fair’s visual identity, among many other facets. For this year’s branding, she directed the design of the fair’s iconic skull logo to unexpectedly look like a soccer ball to reflect Mexican fandom: “I don’t care. We can play with football… It’s those type of little things that I get involved [in].”
For 2026, the fair is introducing structural innovations and curatorial shifts that distinguish it from previous years. The most anticipated addition is ZⓈONAMACO FORMA, a new section that officially merges art and design. Previously these disciplines were kept relatively distinct but this year artistic directors Direlia Lazo and Cecilia León de la Barra have invited six specific galleries—hailing from Chile, Mexico, New York, London, Amsterdam and Brazil—to present special curated projects throughout the fair. According to García, this integration is designed to offer a “surprise” for visitors walking the floor by allowing them to “take a break from the art” and engage with cross-disciplinary works.
Returning visitors will notice a major upgrade to ZⓈONAMACO DISEÑO EMERGENTE. Previously integrated within the general design fair, the section dedicated to young emerging designers has been expanded into its own specialized space. Featuring nearly 50 designers, the area is set up “as if it were an exhibition” to give new talent a more prominent and cohesive platform.
In a unique collaboration, García hinted at a special project with Chef Elena Reygadas of the renowned Rosetta restaurant. She noted, “It’s just a surprise, like a small thing, but for me, it’s fun and different… I’m sure you will love the pictures of that.”
The fair is divided into four main events held simultaneously at Centro Banamex: México Arte Contemporáneo, Diseño, Salón del Anticuario and Foto. Keep an eye on the EJES section which focuses on the theme of “exchange” and is curated for the first time by Aimé Iglesias Lukin from Buenos Aires. To navigate the 200+ galleries, of which approximately 65% are international and 35% are Mexican, visitors are encouraged to download the Always Art app that hosts the fair preview and gallery lists. Traffic in Mexico City is notorious and the Centro Banamex does not have a subway station nearby. While the fair organizes buses from certain museum locations, reliable private transport is recommended. Fortunately, there will be many restaurant installations at the fair so it’s not necessary to leave for meals.
The fair opens on Wednesday, 4 February at 5pm and runs through Sunday. Tickets range from $470 MXN for a single day to $2,200 MXN for a 5-day pass. Mexico City is currently experiencing an unprecedented artistic moment. With its blend of established masters, emerging design and a founder who still personally sweats the creative details, ZⓈONAMACO 2026 is poised to be a defining event in the global calendar.
The “Art Week” designation is not merely branding as the entire city activates with museum openings and private collections. García highly recommends visiting Cuadra San Cristóbal, the iconic Luis Barragán creation. This year it hosts an exhibition of Felix Gonzalez Torres curated by Pablo León de la Barra. Several collectors open their homes and foundations during this week. A highlight for 2026 is the opening of the Jeff McGee collection in Condesa on Tuesday which is housed in a space designed by architect Carlos Zedillo. Additionally, the Jumex Museum will host a special midday opening on Tuesday featuring artist Simone Fattal. And Gallery OMR is always a destination—this year the exhibition features Marcel Dzama’ I am the sun, I am the New Year, “a playground for joyful revolution.”
Also not to miss this year is Unique Design X Mexico City (UDX) which returns to Expo Reforma from for its third iteration in CDMX. The nomadic collectible design fair will highlight new, returning and emerging galleries, projects and creative global leaders presenting art, fashion, architecture and design. This year’s exhibition explores the symbiotic relationship between art, objects and surroundings, drawing inspiration from Italian designer Bruno Munari’s sentiment that life is a kind of art. Key returning participants include Carpenters Workshop Gallery, Marion Friedmann, and Casa Bosques. The event also features a special programming day on Saturday 7 February titled “The French Mex Touch,” which celebrates 200 years of Franco-Mexican cultural reciprocity. UDX is a platform founded by Morgan Morris Sans in 2019, dedicated to promoting collectible design, functional art, and objects by contemporary artists, and is committed to building a long-term cultural bridge between Paris and Mexico City.
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