Fátima González, founder of Mexico City-based gallery Campeche, recounts her journey from working the front desk at Kurimanzutto to opening her own gallery. After earning a graduate degree at the School of Visual Arts in New York and returning to Kurimanzutto in sales, she left in February 2020, just before lockdown. During the pandemic, she planned her gallery, found a space in one day, and opened with a group show of all-women artists from Mexico City. Campeche is now making its Frieze New York debut.
González’s story matters because it highlights the challenges and rewards of starting a small, intimate gallery in a market dominated by larger institutions. Her emphasis on trusting one’s instinct, training the eye through exposure, and building relationships with a younger generation of artists and collectors reflects a broader shift toward more personal, community-driven models in the art world. Her debut at Frieze New York also signals the growing international presence of Mexico City’s contemporary art scene.