Patricia Conde Galería presents Maringuilla, the second solo exhibition by Juan Rafael Coronel Rivera (Mexico, 1961) at the gallery. Curated by Michel Blancsubé, the show features 55 silver gelatin prints taken over the past three decades at carnival celebrations across twelve Mexican states. A publication edited by Talamontes Editores accompanies the exhibition.

As the curator writes, the maringuilla—a cross-dressed, masked figure traditionally played by men—appears in regional dances such as the Danza de los Negros in Veracruz, the Huehues in Puebla, or the Kúrpites in Michoacán. These carnivals, rooted in religious yet deeply pagan traditions, are heirs to ancient Roman Saturnalia and medieval rituals of reversal, where social norms are suspended, and roles are playfully upended.

Photographed with an analog camera and black-and-white film, Coronel Rivera captures the eroticism, vitality, and irreverence of these celebrations. His portraits and spontaneous scenes reveal the transformative power of costume and collective revelry.