Luisa Reyes Retana is a Mexican writer, creative mentor, and coach focused on creative practices. Her first novel, Arde Josefina (Literatura Random House México), received the 2017 Mauricio Achar Award, presented by Literatura Random House and Librerías Gandhi. Her second novel, Tu lengua en mi boca, was published by the same imprint in 2022.Her writing has appeared in publications including El País, Gatopardo, Revista de la Universidad de México, Arte al Día, GQ, La Tempestad, and, in Germany, Kulturaustausch. She has taught creative writing workshops independently and at various institutions.In the public and cultural sectors, she served as Secretary of Research and Analysis at the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation in Mexico, as well as cultural attaché and director of the Mexican Cultural Institute in Germany. She later worked as director of development at Elekin Arts. She was born in Mexico City in 1979.
During her time at Hotel El Ganzo, Luisa Reyes Retana led a series of literary and creative gatherings exploring the relationship between creativity, observation, and personal expression. Her residency included Somos como los ríos, a performative poetry session held at the Rooftop, where she shared excerpts from her book Mal de río alongside local poets and writers, creating an intimate encounter between literature, voice, and community.She also presented a creative connection conference developed in collaboration with the hotel’s wellness program—an invitation to rediscover and unlock the creative potential that exists within everyone. Through reflections on curiosity, inspiration, play, and observation, the talk explored creativity not only as an artistic practice, but as a way of thinking and moving through life. Her time at El Ganzo bridged literature, wellness, and collective exploration, embodying the hotel’s ongoing dialogue between art, self-discovery, and community.
