Barry Wolfryd
American. Born in 1952 in Los Angeles, USA.
While Barry Wolfryd explores a variety of themes, the foundation of his work lies in the depiction of intricate symbols, icons, and objects that resonate consciously or intuitively across cultures. His art reflects humanity’s deep connection to a shared chain of popular imagery that defines “culture.”
After receiving an invitation from Berengo Studios in Murano, Italy, Wolfryd began creating glass sculptures, a medium that has since become integral to his artistic practice. Through this work, he uses iconography and popular imagery as a lens for critique. His art delves into the exploration and exploitation of “human symbology,” examining the myriad ways we connect with ourselves and others. Wolfryd’s mission is to “awaken minds” by challenging societal norms and inviting viewers to act as detectives in a pictorial investigation. His work creates a tangible environment that encourages reflection on cultural and historical perspectives. Over his career, Barry Wolfryd has presented more than 40 solo exhibitions and participated in over 120 group shows. These include displays at prominent museums, institutions, and galleries across the globe. Barry Wolfryd has spent the majority of his artistic career in Mexico, where he has lived for over 40 years.
INSTITUTIONS COLLECTIONS
Banco de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
Museum of Contemporary Glass Art Alcorcón, MAVA, Madrid, Spain.
Museum of Technology, Royal Glass Works, Segovia, Spain.
Arocena Museum, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico.
Casa Diego Rivera Museum, Guanajuato, Mexico.
Press Club Santiago, Santiago, Chile.
José F. Gómez Collection, Institute of Graphic Arts of Oaxaca, Oaxaca City, Mexico.
Housatonic Museum of Art, Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA.
Bramsen Institute, Paris, France.
SAT Collection (Servicios de Administración Tributaria), Mexico City, Mexico.
Anza Falco Museum of Design and Art, Houston, Texas, USA.
Querétero Museum of Art, Querétaro, Mexico.
Herrera-Harfuch Collection, Mexico City, Mexico.
José Pinto Mazal Collection, Mexico City, Mexico.
Simon Peréz Collection, Mexico City, Mexico, Madrid, Spain.
PERMANANT COLLECTIONS
Benetton Art Collection, Treviso, Italy
Grupo Milenio, Mexico City, Mexico.
Fundación Grupo Gráfico Romo, Mexico City, Mexico.
Hilton Corporation, Mexico City, Mexico.
Metro Gas, Mexico City, Mexico.
Professional Service Group, Chennai, India.
Art of The Americas, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.
APD Corporation, Mexico City, Mexico.
Grupo DeBas, Mexico City, Mexico.
Paracor Inc., New York, New York, USA.
Bank of Southern California, La Joya, California, USA.
Argent Trading, NYC/Mexico City, Mexico.
Doble V Holding, Mexico City, Mexico.
Tradex, Mexico City, Mexico.
Brown-Forman (Tequila Herradura) Collection, Jalisco, Mexico.
ART FAIRS
2025
UVNT art fair, Al-Tiba9 Gallery, Madrid, Spain.
2013
Zona Maco Art Fair, Mexico City, Mexico.
2012
Zona Maco Art Fair, Mexico City, Mexico
2011
Zona Maco Art Fair, Proyecto Cholochair, Mexico City, Mexico.
2009
Beyond The Border Art Fair, San Diego, CA, USA.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2026
Of Mice and Men, Cancillería Museum, Instituto Matías Romero, Mexico City, Mexico.
2024
Reconstructed Identities, Al-Tiba9 Gallery, Barcelona, Spain.
2023
Spectacularizing the Margin, Museum HDLU, Zagreb, Croatia.
La Fragilidad del Absurdo, Arocena Museum, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico.
2022
Semiverdades Half - Truths, Nudo Gallery, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
2021
Entre Historias, Símbolos y Reflejos, Gallery Arte Latinou, Mexico City, Mexico.
2018
Controversial Glass, Venice Glass Week, Gallery Castello, Venice, Italy.
Common Ground, MAVA (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Vidrio), Madrid, Spain.
No Sé Bien a Qué Hora, Nudo Gallery, San Miguel Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico.
2017
Common Ground, Museum of Technology, Royal Glass Works, Segovia, Spain.
2016
Warnings, La Nave, Arganda de Rey, Madrid, Spain.
Objetos Peligrosos, Gallery Maeo, Segovia, Spain.
Objetos Peligrosos, Museum of Modern Art Ugo Carà, Trieste-Muggia, Italy.
Highlights, Isabelle Serrano Fine Art, Mexico City, Mexico.
2015
Objetos Peligrosos, The Black Hall Gallery, Puebla, Puebla, Mexico.
2014
S.O.S., 1919 Gallery/William Simon Gallery, Berlin, Germany.
Un Ensayo de Humor, Querétaro Art Museum, Querétaro, Mexico.
2012
No Confío en Nadie Mucho, 1919 Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Honey I’m Home, Traeger & Pinto Contemporáneo, Mexico City, Mexico.
2011
Transferencias, Gallery Ethra, Mexico City, Mexico.
2010
Cuentos en La Sombra, Traeger & Pinto Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico City, Mexico.
2008
Equations For A Lifestyle, Conference Room Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
2007
Entre Dos Mundos, Public Arts Department, Palm Desert, CA, USA.
2003
Obra Reciente, Gallery Soho Creative, New York City, NY, USA.
2002
Fronteras, Gallery Soho Creative, New York City, NY, USA.
2000
Galletas de Animales, Dúo Dúo Gallery, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico.
Obra Reciente, Gallery Soho Creative, New York City, NY, USA.
1998
Bodegones y Paisajes Locochones, Talent Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Las Aventuras de Los Iconos, Cultural Institute of Coahuila, Coahuila, Mexico.
Baby Limbo, Galería Unodosiete, Mexico City, Mexico.
1997
Obra Reciente, Marek Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
1996
Una Década de Obra en Papel, Galería MCA, Mexico City, Mexico.
1994
New Jersey-Aztec, Salón dès Aztecas, Mexico City, Mexico.
California- Aztec, Robert´s Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
1992
Mambo Rojo, Casa Diego Rivera Museum, Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico.
Mambo Rojo y Sus Conflictos, Talent Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
1990
A Través del Paraíso, exhibition itinerary:
Centro Cultural Hidalgo, Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico.
Casa de la Cultura, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.
Francisco Goitia Museum, Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico.
Dirección de Investigación y Fomento de la Cultura Regional, Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico.
1989
Un Día en Marimbolandia, Florencia Riestra Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
1988
Sur de La Frontera, Read Stremmell Gallery, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
1987
Santos y Pecadores, Galería Art Forum, Mexico City, Mexico
1986
Vida en El Epicentro, Galería Los Talleres, Coyoacán, Mexico City, Mexico.
1985
Punto de Vista, exhibition itinerary:
Festival Primavera Potosina, Alianza Francesa, San Luis Potosí, SLP, Mexico.
Alianza Francesa, Mexico City, Mexico.
1978
Un Hombre, Una Exposición, Pergola Gallery, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
Voices, Esproceda Institute of Art and Culture, Barcelona, Spain.
Complex Planet, Noyes Art Museum, Stockton University, Atlantic City, NJ, USA.
2023
Planeta Complejo, C3 Science Complexity Centre of the UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico.
Planeta Complejo, MAAC (Museo Antropológico y de Arte Contemporáneo), Guayaquil, Ecuador.
2022
Tres Latinos, Artok Gallery, Maatstricht, Holland.
See Ya Real Soon, Artlatinou Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Anthropos e Kainos, TAG Trevere Gallery, Rome, Italy.
2021
Art Raiders, Mercantil Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Encierro, Salón des Azteca Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Animals in Art, Avanti Gallery, Aspen, Colorado, USA.
2020
Figuratively Speaking, Claire Kidd Art Project, London, UK.
Durango Collective, Open Studios, Mexico City, Mexico.
Rock, Paper, Scissors, Proyecto Xaman, Miami, Florida, USA.
2019
Time and Space, Art House Holland, Lieden, Netherlands.
Aglomeraciones, Seminario de La Cultura Mexicana, Mexico City, Mexico.
Endemic vs. Global, Casa C.A.V.E., Trieste, Italia, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico.
El Aleph, Centro Cultural Universitario, Mexico City, Mexico.
De la Tierra al Cielo, 100 Años de Julio Cortázar, Chancellery Museum, Mexico City, Mexico.
2018
Mictlán, Schloss Mülberg, Mülberg, Germany.
Pasado, Presente, Futuro, Salón dès Aztecas, Mexico City, Mexico.
Otherness, Augusteum, University of Leipzig, Germany.
100 Artistas, 100 Portadas, Museum of the Americas, Madrid, Spain.
2017
Haciendo el Cuerpo, José Luis Cuevas Museum, Mexico City, Mexico.
De la Tierra al Cielo, 100 Años de Julio Cortázar, Cultural Institute of Mexico, Guatemala, Guatemala.
El Mural del Milenio, El Carmen Museum, Mexico City, Mexico.
2016
Conducto Defensivo, Museum of Science and Art, Campeche, Mexico.
México Circa 2000, Cultural Centre, Mexican Embassy, Berlín, Germany.
Nudo Interior, Art Cage, Mexico City, Mexico.
De La Tierra al Cielo, 100 Años de Julio Cortárzar, City Museum, Quito, Ecuador.
2015
Arte, Ciencia y Biotecnología, Sala Veruda, Trieste, Italy.
Mexico Circa 2000, Cultural Centre of Mexico, Paris, France
Mexico Circa 2000, Lomelini Palace, Carmagnola, Turín, Italy.
Darkness of Mexico, Cervantes Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Sensaciones Incedentes, MEXCAT, Barcelona, Spain.
Sin Comisario, Museum of Modern Art, Toluca, Mexico.
Siguiente Parada, Estación Coyoacán Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
2014
De La Tierra al Cielo, 100 Años de Julio Cortárzar, Palace of Glass, Buenos Aries, Argentina.
Mexico Circa 2000, Le Scuderie al Castello di Miramare, Trieste, Italy.
Mexico Circa 2000, MIAA Museum, Frederiksaerk, Denmark.
VI Bienal Miradas, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.
Manos por México, exposition itinerary:
Franz Mayer Museum, Mexico City, Mexico.
Pinacoteca de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico.
Pequeño Formato, Stella Magni Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Tiro Libre, Café La Gloria, Mexico City, Mexico.
2013
X Bienal de Monterrey, Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso, Mexico City, Mexico.
De la tierra al cielo, 50 años de Rayuela, Rosario Castellanos Cultural Center Bella Epoca, Librería Rosario Castellanos, Mexico City, Mexico.
2012
X Bienal de Monterrey, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. Chilango Arte Público, Mexico City, Mexico.
Feria Zona Maco, Mexico City, Mexico.
Arte al Día, MAQRO, Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico.
2011
Sobre Ética y Obscenidad, La Quiñonera, Mexico City, Mexico.
Plástica Contemporánea, Colección Salón dès Aztecas, Museum of Contemporary Art, San Luis Potosí, SLP, Mexico.
Trono de los de a pie, Fototeca Juan Crisóstomo Méndez, Puebla, Mexico.
Nuestras ciudades, nuestro futuro, Franz Mayer Museum, Mexico City, Mexico.
2010
Caligrafías urbanas, City Museum, Mexico City, Mexico.
Preámbulo III, Arocena Museum, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico.
Toma del Presidente, Hotel Presidente Chapultepec, Mexico City, Mexico.
Grupo de Los Dieciséis, Arte Contemporáneo 2010, Hacienda de Los Morales, Mexico City, Mexico.
Una Mirada de Arte Público, Colección Grupo DeBas, Benito Juarez International Airport, Mexico City, Mexico.
Ecoscopios, Objeto Arte Público, Paseo de La Reforma, Mexico City, Mexico.
2009
In The Freezer, The Conference Room/IAO Projects, Park City, Utah, USA.
In Transit, Anza Falco Museum of Design, The Allen Centre II, Houston, Texas, USA.
Cubo de Rubik, Galería Ethra, Mexico City, Mexico.
Colectiva, Climate Gallery, Long Island City, NY, USA.
2008
Comenzamos, IAO Projects, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Revisiones 3, The Thoreau Center, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Junta 2.0, The Conference Room Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
2007
Jesús Canceló Mi Exposición de Arte, The Conference Room Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Warhology, M Modern Gallery, Palm Springs, CA, USA.
Moda de vida, Infusion Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Off The Wall 3, Eco Logical Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
2006
Pasión por El Papel, Soho Creative Gallery, New York City, NY, USA.
Exposición de banderas norteamericanas, The Hive Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Six Artists Open Studios, Research Art Studios, Palm Springs, CA, USA.
2005
Cow Parade, avenida Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City, Mexico.
El Reventón Desde El Pasado, M Modern Gallery, Palm Springs, CA, USA.
Group Show, Soho Creative Gallery, New York City, NY, USA.
2003
Vida a La Muerte, Hacienda Pátzcuaro, Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, Mexico.
Premios Escaparate, National Auditorium Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Group Show, Soho Creative Gallery, New York City, NY, USA.
2002
Arte Ahora 2002, Tec de Monterrey, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México.
Holi Art, Holoschutz Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
2001
Red Cross Auction, Mexico City, Mexico.
6 Figurativos, Arte Joven, Gallery Mexico City, Mexico.
2000
Tête-à-tête, Evonamor Palix Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Subasta Cruz Roja, Mexico City, Mexico.
Pequeño Formato, Nómada Gallery/Out Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Última Generación de Siglo, City Hall, Mexico City, Mexico.
1999
Graphic Visions, Experimental Printmaking Institute, Lafayette College, Penn, USA.
Visiones Gráficas, Soho Creative Gallery, New York City, NY, USA.
Artistas Promotores, Out Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico
De Lo Virtual A Lo Virtuoso, National Museum of Graphic Arts, Mexico City, Mexico.
Color y Humor, Out Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
1998
Gran Inauguración, Out Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Taller Tropical, Caja2 Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Mexico Today, Gallery 360, Toronto, Canada.
Instalaciones, Pintura y Acción 98, Itatti Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Arte y Mezcal, Out Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Libros Objetos y Artísticos, Biblioteca Nacional, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
1997
América: Artistas plásticos al fin del milenio, The National Medical Center Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Vernissage, The Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
III Bienal Monterrey, Monterrey Museum, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
Encuentro Cultural ’97, Exposición Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo, Rome, Italy.
1996
Enero 96, Centro de Cultura Casa Lamm, Mexico City, Mexico.
Homenaje a David Alfaro Siqueiros, Mexican Salon of Fine Arts, Mexico City, Mexico.
Beaux Arts, Dallas Museum of Fine Art, Dallas, Texas, USA.
El Poder de La Gráfica, Hostos Centre For The Arts & Culture Bronxs, New York, USA.
Artistas Estadounidenses en México, Centro Culturas IEESA, Mexico City, Mexico.
México-Contemporáneo, Itatti Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
1995
17 Sueños expuestos, restaurante Sueño Güajiro, Mexico City, Mexico.
Maternidad e Infancia, UNICEF- World Trade Center, Mexico City, Mexico.
Renacimiento, Galería Talento Arte Visual, Mexico City, Mexico.
Homenaje a Colosio, Colegio de Economistas, Mexico City, Mexico.
Artistas Invitados, Tallerías Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
1994
La Cuesta de Enero, Salón dès Aztecas Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Inicio del Año, Milagros Contemporary Art, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Cambio y Permanencia, Salón de la Plástica Mexicana, Mexico City, Mexico.
Arte Mexicano: Imágenes en el siglo del sida, Universidad de Colorado, Bolder, Colorado, USA.
IX Bienal Iberoamericana, Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City, Mexico.
II Bienal Monterrey, Monterrey Museum, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
Alas para Volar, The Domestic Museum, Mexico City, Mexico.
1993
44 Aniversario del Salón de La Plástica Mexicana, Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City, Mexico.
1992
Día Mundial del Artista, X Teresa Centro Cultural, Mexico City, Mexico.
VIII Bienal Iberoamericana, Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City, Mexico.
1991
Eros Tanatos, exhibition itinerary:
Galería Los Talleres, Coyoacán, Mexico City, Mexico.
Galería Peón Contreras, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
Museum of Modern Art, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico.
Museum of Contemporary Art, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.
Pinacoteca de Monterrey, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
De La fiesta al Reventón, Colegio de Cristo Salón de la Plástica Mexicana, Mexico City, Mexico.
1990
La Toma de Balmori, Edificio Balmori, Mexico City, Mexico.
Galería Art Vance, Mexico City, Mexico.
Temas de Amor, Salón de la Plástica Mexicana, Mexico City, Mexico.
Colegio de Cristo, Mexico City, Mexico.
Bienal de Pintura, Salón de la Plástica Mexicana, Mexico City, Mexico.
1989
Sección de Pintura, National Auditorium Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Casa Abierta, Salón de la Plástica Mexicana, Mexico City, Mexico.
Cuatro Artistas, Cuatro naciones, Galería 930, Mexico City, Mexico.
Sección de Dibujo, National Auditorium Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Seasonal Opening, Renata Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Percepciones, Florencia Riestra Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
1988
Sección de Pintura, exhibition itinerary:
National Auditorium, Mexico City, Mexico.
City Museum, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.
Los Pintores Escultores, Jardín Escultórico de La Quiñonera, Mexico City, Mexico.
Hablando de La Figura, Renata Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
1987
Sección de Pintura, National Auditorium Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Encuentro en La Ciudad, City Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
Temas de Independencia, City Museum, Mexico City, Mexico.
Quema de Judas, National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City, Mexico.
Plaza de Santo Domingo, Mexico City, Mexico.
Janukiot Chanukah, Galería Art Forum, Mexico City, Mexico.
1986
Sección de Dibujo, Auditorio Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico.
1985
Exposición Inaugural, Galería Lihnaka, San Luis Potosí, SLP, México.
1977
Pintores de San Miguel de Allende, exhibition itinerary:
National Museum of Fine Art, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
Pergola Gallery, San Miguel Allende, Guanajuato. Mexico.
1976
US Bicentennial Commemorative, exhibition itinerary:
Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City, Mexico.
Hacienda Cortes Gallery, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
PROJECTS
2022
Book Publication, Half-Truths.
2012
Chilango Public Art, monumental outdoor sculpture, Plaza Luis Cabrera, Mexico City, Mexico.
Absolut Blanc, outdoor mural, Colonia Roma, Mexico City, Mexico.
2010
El sueño de Iván film, film scenography, Barcelona, Spain.
2009
“La vida en la vitrina”, photographic essay, Km.Cero magazine, issue 8, Mexico City, Mexico.
Curator and producer: film 120 Exposiciones y perdí una mujer, Mexico City, Mexico.
2005
Cow Parade, Mexico City, Mexico.
2000
Production Design, New Years Day Parade “El Gran Mitote”, Mexico City, Mexico.
Assistant Art Director, Faces of the Moon film by Gita Shifter, Mexico City, Mexico.
1998
Hibernia Regnum, illustrated the book of poetry by Ignacio Orendain, Mexico City, Mexico.
1995
Magazine Cover, Agricultural Studies, Mexico City, Mexico.
1993
Set Design for Light Under the Stairs film, Mexico City, Mexico.
HONORS
2023
The Mexican National System for The Arts , three year project grant, Mexico City, Mexico.
2014
VI Miradas Biennial, by invitation, CECUT, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.
2012
X Monterrey Biennial by invitation, Monterrey Museum, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico.
1997
III Monterrey Biennial by invitation, Monterrey Museum, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico.
1994
IX Iberian American Biennial by invitation, Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City, Mexico.
II Monterrey Biennial by invitation, Monterrey Museum, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico.
1992
VIII Iberian American Biennial by invitation, Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City, Mexico.
1990
Mexican Salon Painting Biennial by invitation, Mexican Salon of Fine Art, Mexico City, Mexico.
1989
Open House by invitation, Nominated by Mt. Santos Balmori, Mexican Salon of Fine Art, Mexico City, Mexico.
National Drawing Salon by invitation, National Auditorium Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.
National Painting Salon by invitation, National Auditorium Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico.