A Disappointing Museum

Years ago, when I went to Mexico City's Museum of Modern Art in Chapultepec Park, I found it very disappointing.  For a country which produced so many famous artists in the 20th century, I thought that the number of works from its permanent collection that were on display was paltry.  (Like most museums, only a fraction of the permanent collection is on display at any given time.)  After being closed for renovations, the museum reopened recently. Last week I decided to return and see what changes had been made.  I found the museum even more disappointing than before. There were five temporary exhibitions on going on.  One was of 20th century Italian art, another of photographs of "brutalist" architecture.  Only two of the five did I find at all interesting.  (I will write about them separately.)  There was only ONE small gallery, with perhaps 20 pieces from its permanent collection on display... just 20 pieces to represent the entirety of 20th century art.  There was nothing at all by the "big three" of Mexican muralism, Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros and José Clemente.  Pathetic!

Here are a few of the very few works from the museum's collection on display...

"Still Life" by María Izquierdo, 1928

Izquierdo was one of the first important woman painters in Mexico.  This is one of her early works, and I don't consider it one of her better paintings.

"Multiple Self Portrait" by Juan O'Gorman, 1950

An interesting work by O'Gorman who is best known for having created the mosaic murals covering all four sides of the library of the National University of Mexico.

"Homage to the Indian Race" by Rufino Tamayo, 1952

Although he is not really a favorite of mine, Tamayo is considered one of Mexico's greatest abstract painters.

"The Two Fridas" by Frida Kahlo, 1939

This is arguably the most famous work in the museum's collection.  I'm sure that Frida fans would have a fit if it were not on display.

If you want to see an overview of Mexican art, I suggest that you go to the Natonal Museum of Art downtown which includes a fairly sizeable gallery of 20th century works.