The founders of Mooni, Teodoro Moya and Andrea Monroy, launched the gallery in 2019 in a space of roughly one meter twenty in length by two meters in depth, with the vision of promoting exceptional art and making it accessible to emerging collectors. Today, from their gallery in Roma Norte — renovated by the renowned architecture studio LANZA Atelier — Teo fondly recalls the artists who took a chance on joining the project, and who are now part of a collection of more than 1,200 pieces by local artists spread between Mexico City and New York. It was the stories behind these artists and their works that brought Andrea and Teo from the world of retail and fashion into the world of art.

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Mooni drives a disruptive, innovative, and inclusive vision as a gallery concept, where enthusiasm for art and the joy of acquiring it are the central element of its exhibition space. Around 600 pieces coexist and are visible within the same space — a space with no door or buzzer, open for anyone to walk in. While many of the ways of connecting with the public draw from lessons learned in the retail industry, the accessibility of the gallery space and the visibility of its displayed works are intentional, with the goal of connecting emerging collectors with the pieces. The idea that someone might be drawn to one piece among so many — to zoom in and allow themselves to connect with a particular work in a unique and personal way — is a concept that especially excites the gallerists. For the founders of Mooni, each work of art is like a talisman, a small piece of magic that holds a story, with which the right person is destined to connect. In the words of Teo Moya:

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"When we began doing studio visits, we started to realize everything an artist goes through to arrive at what they make. It is truly fascinating how these experiences lay bare their vulnerability, their fears, their joy… And to think that here, by bringing together 100, 120 artists in the same space, we are also bringing together 100, 120 different stories, journeys, energies. I find that very moving. I think that when people take a piece home, they are also taking a little piece of that energy home with them. I see it as a talisman they are bringing into their space. That combination — of the artist releasing a piece so it can go to a home, and someone welcoming that work into their house — I find that incredible."

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Many of the artists the gallery works with have carried their graphic design background into their artistic practice — moving, one might say, from the graphic to the plastic arts. Among them are Luisa Salas, who has worked with brands of the caliber of Nike and Apple; Stefano Cristoforo, who has worked as an illustrator for children's books; and Ana Leovi, who has collaborated with Farm Rio and Bimba y Lola, among others. Working with this type of artist, Teo emphasizes, is a way of offering a broader spectrum of art than what is typically found in more traditional galleries.

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You can visit the Mooni Gallery collection at its two locations: the Roma Norte branch at Colima 129, and the Condesa branch at Fernando Montes de Oca 43, Monday through Saturday from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, and Sundays from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.