The social struggles that inspire us, that have created living alternatives, give account to the fact that the strength of their resistance relies in re-acknowledging themselves as a community, reconfiguring their identity and making tools for autonomy of those processes .
In our urban context (Mexico City) the social fabric is deeply damaged. Though the need to identify those common predicaments is starting to take place, there isn’t a structure in which to recognise ourselves as a community, so we decided to participate in the construction of a community, based in its diversity, that shares the need to build life, work and struggle alternatives. We aim to create a critical space for experimental self-taught research by encouraging collaborative working in affinity groups, knowledge-sharing talks, multidisciplinary workshops and seminars that gather people from different perspectives.
These experiences are articulated among a common wealth, a risograph machine that prints publications and that has become a dispositif that helps us share what happens here, so others might become involved. We are part of a hand to hand distribution network, based in independent book fairs, talks and workshops, that go beyond the artistic field. We’ve been weaving artistic, activist, and free-media groups. So far 24 groups have worked with us in more than 30 publications, including Arts Collaboratory Network. As a core project in our practice it will continue as long as the Cooperative exists.
About the artist
Crater Invertido is a Mexico City-based collective born in 2011. Composed of eleven members educated in visual arts and free media, they evenly run a space that works as a workshop for multidisciplinary projects, a forum for various events, and an exhibition space. These activities converge in a common printing machine from which they share tools and knowledge, as well as participating in the creation of an independent editorial network in Mexico.