Zara Pfeifer

Alejandro Zohn's largest building is striking even from a distance, towering over a low residential neighbourhood like a concrete castle. Everyone in Guadalajara has been to „El Archivo“, as a visit is required for registering for example a birth, marriage, or death. The inner courtyard always teems with people and street vendors set up shop outside in the shade of the brutalist blocks. Most of the building itself is closed to the public, but thanks to welcoming staff it was possible to get a glimpse of the municipal offices and archives, which contain urban plans, newspapers, and most other records of Guadalajara's history. Zara Pfeifer took her analogue series „El Archivo“ during a five days stay in September 2022.

The series was exhibited at MAK Center for Art and Architecture Schindler House in Los Angeles in 2023. The exhibition Seeking Zohn was curated by Mimi Zeiger and Tony Macarena and showcased five buildings by architect Alejandro Zohn. Exhibition review by Olly Wainwright for The Guardian.