Franca Álvarez (b. 1988, Aguascalientes, Mexico) Franca Álvarez is a Mexican ceramic artist whose practice emerges from the intersection of anthropology, social research, and the applied arts. She holds a dual degree in Political Economy and Anthropology from the University of Sydney, Australia, and a Master's degree in Sociology and Anthropology of Development from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) in Geneva, Switzerland.Before dedicating herself to ceramics, Álvarez built an extensive career in research, public policy, and international development, working with organizations including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Oxfam, GIZ, FAO, and Mexico’s Ministry of Economy. This multidisciplinary background continues to inform her artistic practice, which is rooted in observation, cultural memory, and the material traces of everyday life.Álvarez approaches ceramics as a form of contemporary ethnography. Drawing inspiration from the ancient role of ceramic objects as records of human experience, she creates works that reflect the social, cultural, and personal narratives of the present. Her practice began with ceramic mosaics inspired by the tile traditions of Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro and later expanded to include vessels, plates, and large-scale ceramic works.Her work explores the relationship between craft, history, and identity, while engaging with the traditions of Mexican muralism and Talavera pottery through a contemporary lens. Combining decorative and sculptural elements, her pieces investigate how objects inhabit intimate spaces and carry stories across generations.In 2025, Álvarez participated in several group exhibitions, including Ecos del Espejismo at Maison Celeste during Mexico City Art Week, as well as exhibitions with Cultivo in Mexico City and Lux Perpetua in Mérida. She also completed an artist residency at Lago Scuro in Cremona, Italy. In 2026, she participated in Art Week Baja, further expanding her exploration of ceramic narratives, memory, and place.Álvarez currently lives and works in Mexico, where she continues to develop ceramic objects, sculptural works, and tile-based installations that bridge anthropological inquiry with contemporary artistic practice.