Artist statement
Rafael Morales Cendejas is a Mexican book artist, designer, and researcher whose practice operates at the intersection of graphic design, visual research, and education. His work explores artist books, experimental graphics, and hybrid editorial formats as critical devices to reflect on identity, memory, dissidence, and collective experience.
He understands publishing as a space for action and encounter, where image, text, and object activate participatory and embodied forms of reading. His projects engage with LGBTQ+ communities, educational contexts, and collaborative processes, integrating narrative, performative, and pedagogical strategies. His practice combines theoretical research, material experimentation, and collective work, approaching design and publishing as tools for critical thinking and symbolic resistance in both local and international contexts.
Research experience
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Design for Graphic Communication from the University of Guadalajara (2010–2014) and a Master’s degree in Visual Arts of the Book from the University of the Arts London (2017–2019). He is currently pursuing two doctoral programs: one in Teaching Methodology (2024–2026) at the Mexican Institute of Pedagogical Studies, and another in Architecture, Design, Fashion, and Society (2025–2029) at the Polytechnic University of Madrid.
He is a member of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Information and Communication Technologies (CIITIC-4). Since 2012, his work related to publishing as an artistic practice has been included in workshops, residencies, seminars, symposia, conferences, catalogs, solo and group exhibitions, zine festivals, and international art book fairs in Mexico, the United States, Uruguay, Argentina, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. His research focuses on the development of the project Centro Mexicano para las Artes del Libro and on publishing under the imprint Editorial Facsimile.
Grants and Awards
2025 "Scholarship by Carolina Foundation" to study Phd in Architecture, Design, Fashion and Society in Madrid, Spain.
2024 "Professor with the most innovative teaching", selected by UDG Bachelor Students, MX
2017 "Student Initiave Fund from Student Union's UAL" to produce a catalogue and a short exhibiton, UK
2017 “Special Grant from University of Guadalajara” to study MA Visual Arts Book Arts in London, UK
2016 “UNAM Visual Arts Biennial" selected in the category of Art Object by UNAM, MX
2015 "Sheffield International Artist Book Prize 2015" selected by Bank Street Arts, United Kingdom
2015 "Encontro de Novos Artists, Culture Ciudade New Galicia" selected by CCE in Montevideo, Uruguay
2015 “Behance Apreciattion Award" silver medal by Portfolios Review Guadalajara, Mexico
2014 “1st Biennial of Art and Design University UNAM” selected in the category of book artista, MX
Solo exhibitions
2019 'Crossing Borders', Mediatheque, École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris, France
2018 'Read as much as you can', Wimbledon College of Arts Library, London, UK
Group exhibitions
​2025
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'Exposición de libros túnel y haikus ilustrados', Mezzanine CUAAD, Guadalajara, México
'Expo Display LDCG 2025' Mezzanine CUAAD, Guadalajara, México
Naturaleza Humana Humana Naturaleza – 2da Bienal Al Margen, Galería Jorge Martínez, México
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2024
'Orgullo y Diversidad', Biblioteca Central Estatal, Guadalajara, México
'Autoretrato' Galería Jorge Martínez, México
2023
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'Otras Formas de Contar – Libro Objeto', Feria del Libro de Arte y Arquitectura de la ESARQ, México
'Al Margen – Encuentro de Publicaciones Alternativas', Galería Jorge Martínez del CUAAD, México
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2019
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'Neo Norte 2.0', Exposed Arts Projects, London, UK
'Las Hijas de Eva', Casa Sombra, Guadalajara, Mexico
'The Children of Eve', Central Saint Martins Library and London College of Fashion Library, UK
'How to make book', Book Art Book Shop, London, UK
'Crossing Borders, London College of Communication Library, UK
'Xhibit 2019', Koppel Project Soho Gallery, London, UK
'Camaradas 2019', organized by Mexican embassy in the UK at Menier Gallery, London, UK
'Hollow Chambers', The Crypt Gallery, London, UK
'Camberwell Queer Art', Student Led Gallery, Camberwell College of Arts, UK
'Narrating Process', Copeland Gallery, London, UK
'New Camberwell Art', Student Led Gallery, Camberwell College of Arts, London, UK
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2018
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'Dead readers don't read anymore', Chelsea College of Arts Library, London, UK
'The Church of Cain: GAEL PARDO', Central Saint Martins Library, London, UK
'Nostalgia', Gallery of Municipal Art of Piraeus, Athens, Greece
'Latin American Myth Deconstruction', The Crypt Gallery, London, UK
'The Art of Making Sense', Triangle Space, Chelsea College of Arts, UK
'Xhibit 2018', Art Bermondsey Project Space, London, UK
'Small Publishing Unfair', Camberwell College of Arts Library, London, UK
'Camaradas 2018', organized by Mexican Embassy in the UK at Spacio Gallery, London, UK
'Olympus Photography Award', Art Bermondsey Project Space, London, UK
'Altered States', Camberwell College of Arts Library, London, UK
'The Gaze: A short exhibition about feminist zines' in SU Gallery LCC, London, UK
'Tate Exchange' with CCW Maker Space, London, UK
2017
“Wilds Rents Christmas Fair”, UK
“Pop-up Show MA Visual Arts: Book Arts & Printmaking”, Camberwell College of Arts, UK
“Arty Winter Market” at DIY Space for London, UK
“Open Studio Tate St. Ives” coordinate by Behave Collective, UK
“Christmas Pop-Up Market” at Student Led Gallery, UK
“Grrrl Zine Fair Pop-Up Shop, Issue 2 Launch & Live Sessions” at Jäger Soho, London, UK
“FILO Moneros 2017”, Cartoon Museum, CDMX
Coordinator of "Zines Kalpoli Fair" in CDMX
"Matazanos 7" at “Multiforo Cultural Alicia” in CDMX
“Anarchist Publication Fair” at The Mundane, CDMX
2016
“Biennial Visual Arts UNAM”, Antonio Ramirez Gallery, CDMX
“FsBooks”, Arebyte London Gallery, UK
“37th International Book Fair UNAM”, Palacio de Minería, CDMX
“Performance Superpower of ten”, JUMEX Museum, CDMX
2015
"First Zine Fair in the Mundane" in CDMX
Discussion "The possibilities of the book and the universe of alternative edition" in CDMX
Zine Fest - Divergent Space in CDMX
"First National Expo of Arts and Crafts Book" in CDMX
"Artist's book as an expression of a reality" in Guanajuato, MX
“Zineteca Lia + Collective Fanzine” in Guadajalara, MX
"CODEX V Book Fair & Symposium" in Richmond, California, USA​
2014
“1st Sample Illustrated Fanzine Mufart” in Guadajalara, MX
"The book fair are all" at CUCSH, Guadajalara, MX
"Nobody Nothing Never" in Anatema, Guadajalara, MX
"Folia, 1st International Artist Book Fair" at ICC, Guadajalara, MX
"Please touch: Exhibition and sale of artist books " at LARVA, Guadajalara, MX
"1st International Book Fair Alternative" at FAD, UNAM, M
Libraries and Special Collections
United Kingdom: INIVA library, Grrrl Zine Library, Salford Zine Library, Glasgow Zine Library, Glasgow Art Library, Tate Britain, British Library, Welcome Collection, UAL Libraries, LCBA Library, Feminist Library / France: ENSBA mediatheque / Spain: Biblioteca Dada / United States: Stanford University Special Collections / Mexico: Biblioteca Aeromoto, Ricos Jugos, Universidad de Guadalajara / Brazil: Museum of Art of São Paulo MASP Library / Sweden: c.off space