Daniel Castrejón
daniel@mcmlxxix.ltd
Daniel Castrejón is a graphic designer, visual artist and record-label founder from Mexico City. His visual work is characterized by the use of classical geometry in relation to surfaces, in a limited range of colors and expressed through a large number of formats. These include graphic design and art direction, editorial projects, record-labels, hand-made pieces and global campaigns. Regardless of the medium, he applies geometric principles to all of his work, and plays with historical aesthetics to create a place where different time periods can coexist. His artwork, whether digital or hand-made, captures a static-movement that aims to bring particular everyday situations back to life.
Alongside his visual work, Castrejón founded the record-label Umor Rex in 2006, which has played a significant role in talent disclosure. Under his artistic direction, the label has published more than 150 albums, spanning eerie electronic, avant-garde, and other forms of experimental music. Umor Rex balances music curation, artistic direction, and the publication of physical and digital media.
Striving to work less on a computer and more with paper, he has recently dedicated part of his time to making art out of a radical treatment of stock paper, envelopes and cardboard, through collage, cut-up, letterset, ornament and other techniques.
In addition, in 2021, Daniel Castrejón co-founded the Mexico City based design studio Castrejón—Rocha. A space for art direction that focuses on editorial design and identity construction for institutions and initiatives such as museums, galleries, festivals, and brands with a social vision and cultural significance.
Daniel Castrejón also co-founded the Editorial/Art/Object project An Hour is Not Merely an Hour. This initiative publishes limited edition prints and publications, encompassing archival documentation and original works.
In the course of his professional journey, Castrejón has undertaken numerous commissions for art direction, books, and magazines related to art, film, and travel. Commissioners have included museums such as MUCA UNAM, MUAC UNAM, WIELS Brussels, Swiss Design Labs, Franz Mayer, EX Teresa Arte Actual, Walker Art Center, Museo Carrillo Gil, Complejo Cultural Los Pinos, and Expo Shanghai. Record labels he has worked with include 4AD, Denovali, Ghostly International, EMI, Sony Music, Thrill Jockey, Keplar Rev, Black Knoll Editions, Sonic Cathedral, Innovative Leisure, Atomnation, Kathexis, and Sige, among others, plus the artworks of his own Umor Rex. He has also collaborated with film companies like INTERIOR XIII, movie festivals such as FICUNAM and music festivals such as MUTEK in all their global editions.