Publications

Book Chapters, Essays and Dossiers

“Reproductions, Excavations and Replicas: New Materialities in Response to Destruction”. In: Hammami, F., Uzer, E. (eds) Theorizing Heritage through Non-Violent Resistance. Palgrave Studies in Cultural Heritage and Conflict. Springer, 2021.

“Material Metabolisms”. In Ayala-Alfonso, D. (Ed.) Mauro Giaconi: Lead Season. Temblores Publicaciones, Mexico City, 2020.

“Glamorous Hoarding”. In Institutional Garbage. The Green Lantern Press/Sector 2337, Chicago, 2018.

 “Dossier: Alfabetos y Traducciones.” (Dossier: Aphabets and Translations). In FLORÆ 4: Traducción-traición. Ediciones FLORA, Bogotá, Colombia, 2018.

“¿A Quién Hablamos?”. In Arte y Política: Critical Thoughts at a Time of Crisis. Facultad de Artes ASAB, Universidad Distrital, Bogotá, Colombia, 2013.

“Espacio Interior”. In Ayala-Alfonso, D. (Ed.) Cecilia Porras: Cartagena y Yo (1950–1970). Gilberto Alzate Avendaño Foundation. Bogotá, Colombia, 2009.

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Reviews and Criticism

“Spaces of Doubt: Ursula Biemann @ MUAC“. Momus, Nov 4, 2024.

“El regreso de los zombies semióticos: sobre El Fin de lo Maravilloso en El Chopo“. A copy is a copy is a copy, Apr 23, 2024.

“Attention and distraction: Ragnar Kjartansson at Museo Tamayo”. A copy is a copy is a copy, Feb 15, 2024.

“Gala Porras-Kim y la Actualidad de la Crítica de las Instituciones Museales“. A copy is a copy is a copy, Oct 12, 2023.

“Either a Rapture or an Existential Risk @ Deli Gallery“. A copy is a copy is a copy, Aug 21, 2023.

“Two Palestinian Artists Challenge Occupation Narratives“. Hyperallergic, Dec 29, 2021.

“A Glimpse of the Unseen” Dialogues, Cultural Anthropology, June 11, 2018.

“The World is Ending: What Now?” Dialogues, Cultural Anthropology, June 8, 2017.

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Conversations and Interviews

Rayne Bacchus, August. “David Ayala-Alfonso on Never Spoken Again.” Journal, Independent Curators International, January 12, 2026.

Tucker, Daniel. “Ritual Curating: Deep Hanging Out and Exhibition Making: An Interview with David Ayala-Alfonso”. International Journal for Arts in Society 16: 1, Aprill 11, 2024.

 “Lapsed Journeys of Artifacts: a conversation on Gala Porras-Kim”, A copy is a copy is a copy, October 3, 2023.

“Gallada Lab: An interview with Sylvia Jaimes and Alberto Baraya“. Revista FLORÆ # 4: Traducción-Traición. Flora ars+natura, Bogota, 2018.

“A Room of One’s Own: An interview with Coco Fusco”. In {{em_rgencia} Journal for Contemporary Art 3. Fall 2011.

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Journal Articles

“Dyssynchrony: Time, spaces and ‘manners’ of performance practice in Bogotá, Colombia”. In Performance Research Journal: 19.3 On Time. Summer 2014.

“Espacios de Posibilidad”. In {{em_rgencia} Journal for Contemporary Art 4. Spring 2012.

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Editing

Pablo Rasgado et. Al.(Copyediting). Horizon. op. Cit & Sexto Piso, Mexico City, 2025.

Mauro Giaconi, Lead Season (Book Editor). Temblores, Mexico City, 2020.

Revista FLORÆ # 4: Traducción-Traición (Themed Issue Editor). Flora ars+natura, Bogota, 2018.

Cecilia Porras: Cartagena y Yo 1950-1970 (Book Editor). Fundación Gilberto Alzate Avendaño, 2009.

Journal of Visual Culture (Journal Editor). Sage Publications, London, 2016-2022.

Cultural Anthropology (Contributing Editor). Society of Cultural Anthropology. Houston, 2016-2018.

{{em_rgencia} Journal of Contemporary Art (Editor in Chief). 0,29 Ediciones, Bogota, 2009-2012.

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Exhibition Texts, Catalogues and Compilations

“Patricio Tejedo: Sedimentos en tránsito.” Mexico City: Terreno Baldío, 2026.

“Aurora Noreña: All these little stones are suffocating me.” Mexico City: Terreno Baldío, 2026.

“Vitamin P4: New Perspectives in Painting.” (Book compilation) New York/London: Phaidon Press, 2026.

“The American Art Book.” (Compilation) New York/London: Phaidon Press: 2025

“Vitamin V: Video and the Moving Image in Contemporary Art“. (Book compilation). New York/London: Phaidon Press, 2025.

“Camilo Restrepo: Sign Trafficker“, Mexico City, 2025.

“Valentina Guerrero: La Anunciación“, Paris, 2025.

“Las (Muchas) Vitalidades del Jardín: Las Parcelas Floridas de Aurora Noreña“, Mexico City, 2025.

“Oscar Formacio: Socavar el Espacio“, Mexico City, 2024

“Latin American Artists: 1785 to Now“. (Book compilation). New York/London: Phaidon Press, 2023.

“Cristina Umaña: Tragar Sapos“, Mexico City, 2023.

“Eleanna Anagnos: Fever Logic“, New York, 2022.

“David Peña: El Peso de la Mano“, Bogota, 2019.

“Premio Eugenio Mendoza # 15“, Caracas, 2018.

“Nuevos Nombres 2017-2018“, Bogotá, 2018.

“As you can see“, Delhi, 2016.

“Invenciones Modernas“. Bogotá, 2012.

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Translation

Øvstebø, S and Sierra, G. (Eds.) (2015). “Gabriel Sierra: An Actual Location for this Moment“. (Translation from Spanish into English). Berlin : Bom Dia Boa Tarde Boa Noite ; Chicago : The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago.

Shugurov, P (2012). “Arte Monumental y Arte Público”. (Translation from English into Spanish). {{em_rgencia} Journal of Contemporary Art (4): 73-85.

Vadén, T (2006). “Oportunidades Digitales, Imposibilidades Reales: La promesa pendiente de la “Industria Cultural” y el Cibercomunismo“. (Translation from English into Spanish). European Institute for Progressive Cultural Policies.

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Selected press and articles about my work

Nyoike, L (2026). “‘Never Spoken Again’ brings together artists who critique science, history and the authority of institutions.” In The Minnesota Daily, Apr 20.

Curry, I. (2026). “Never Spoken Again Exhibition at the Weisman Challenges Museum Norms.” Mpls StPaul Magazine, March 23.

Lilly, A (2024). “Never Spoken Again at the Fleming Museum Examines Colonialist Roots“. In Seven Days, Apr 3.

Duarte-Riascos, J. (2023). “Ways of Lying: Parafiction in Contemporary Latin American Art“. In Discourse 45: 1 (3). Wayne State University Press.

Wesley, N (2021). “Exhibition Review: Never Spoken Again“. Burnaway.

Hellerman, DJ. (2021). “Jepson Center exhibition rethinks truth and narratives of artworks“. Connect Savannah.

Cosentino, L. (2020). “Everything out of its place: Broad Museum exhibit is a closet full of chaos“. City Pulse.

Wardell, C.A. (2020). “Intriguing Stories of Science Arrive at Broad Museum“. In East Lansing Info, Jan 30.

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Citations

Benitez, I. & Ayala, O. (2024). “(In)Tensiones que impulsan la formación de artistas“, 53. Universidad del Tolima, Ibague, Colombia.

Mulready, C. (2023). “Collecting Things: The Psychology of Accumulation, from Museums to Hoarders“. In Object Studies: Introductions to Material Culture: 81-101. Springer.

García, M.A. (2020). “Toward a Reappraisal of Comparative Studies: The Case of South American Modernism“. In Grey Room (81): 72–101. MIT Press. (Alt download link here)

Quintero Borowiak, S. (2019) “De artistas para artistas: Crónica viva de (deriva sutil en torno a) los espacios alternativos (independientes, autogestionados, autónomos) en Bogotá“. Ediciones Uniandes.

Iregui, J. (2019) “Pensar la escena: Debates del campo del arte contemporáneo en esfera pública“. Ediciones Universidad de los Andes. Bogota.

Lepselter, S. (2018) “What is America”? Member Voices, Fieldsights, June 11.
https://culanth.org/fieldsights/what-is-america

Tsing, Anna, L. (2017) “Is There a Progressive Politics after Progress?“. Member Voices, Fieldsights, June 8. https://culanth.org/fieldsights/is-there-a-progressive-politics-after-progress

Ramirez Botero, I.C. (2010) “El arte en Cartagena a través de la Colección del Banco de la República“. Banco de la República, Bogotá, Colombia.

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