City Guide: Monterrey with Berenice Hernandez

26th June 23 - By Nikolai, Writer

The Paper Collective city guides sees a local city or area through one of our artists. This time with Berenice Hernandez in Monterrey, Mexico.

NK:
Hi Berenice. To start, can you tell me a little bit about Monterrey, the city you call home. Where is it located in Mexico, the geography in the area etc?

BERENICE:
It is an industrial city in northern Mexico, with desert and forested areas as well.

It is a valley surrounded by beautiful mountains in the 4 cardinal points.

NK:
We are coming into spring. What do you love about the springtime in Monterrey?

BERENICE:
Monterrey is located in a citrus-growing region by nature and I love seeing the ease with which each spring the orange trees fill with green leaves and later begin to flower all over the city. The aroma can be felt when you walk through its streets!

NK:
What is your favorite local dish or restaurant? Please explain what it is.

BERENICE:
The Belmonte cafe in downtown Monterrey has typical northeastern Mexican architecture. Which is very simple but with an indisputable warmth. I love to go for dessert in the afternoon along with a cup of coffee.

NK:
Where is your favorite spot within or around the city to escape into nature? What is so special about this place?

BERENICE:
I am used to taking walks and immersing myself in local parks, I am always amazed by the small details that we find. Personally, I find the way in which human beings incorporate nature into our urban spaces very romantic. It seems that we are always looking for that link. Nature is also very generous in accompanying us... That is why domestic gardens, pots and their plants seem fascinating to me. A few months ago I saw a house with a gigantic monstera plant growing inside a garage and I thought it was really fantastic. In Mexico we are often accompanied by plants, there are plants in every house and their care is part of the daily routine of homes, as if they were one more inhabitant. In addition, a lot of knowledge is shared from generation to generation through the care of them and that seems fascinating to me.

NK:
What is your favorite art gallery or cultural space in Monterrey?

BERENICE:
Center for the arts, in which it was an industrial warehouse. I like the brutality of the building, including the sobriety and silence of this machinery that seeks to come alive with the proposal of all kinds of art. I personally enjoy going to the movie theater.

NK:
Tell me a little bit about your studio, the area it is located within Monterrey and what you like about this part of the city?

BERENICE:
My studio is inside my house, for me it is very important to be with my family and share time with my son. However, I have many spaces for reflection where I go for a walk around my neighborhood, which is also surrounded by natural areas where you can immerse yourself to escape the bustle of the city.

The community where I live is called "Cumbres" and it is precisely because of its geographical location that its landscapes are majestic. One of the routines that I enjoy the most is taking and picking up my son from school and contemplating the hill in a closer way.

A look inside the studio of Berenice Hernandez

EXPLORE THE ART PRINTS OF BERENICE HERNANDEZ

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