Biennial of Watercolors

As I mentioned in my last post, there was a special exhibition on display at the National Watercolor Museum in Mexico City.  They were holding their 13th Watercolor Biennial.  This show has grown over the years to now include 200 artists from 29 countries.  It has outgrown the exhibition space, so the Biennial must now be shown in three separate parts.  The final exhibit was going on when I was there.

Here is a sampling of the artwork from all over the world...

"Question of Faith" by Aníbal Oblitas, Peru

"Light" by José Barreiros, Portugal

"Owl" by Roman Kharevsky, Czech Republic

"Return from the Stroll" by Nina Diakova, Russia

"Circus" by Milos Sibinovic, Serbia

"Sunset over the Maldonado Brook" by Roberto Weigel, Uruguay

"Birds in a Tree" by Irving René Lamparero, Panama

"Ballet" by Thu Huowg Nguyen, Vietnam

"They Call Me Chubasco" by Victoria Pareja, Mexico

One of Mexico City's Small Gems

Mexico City has around 150 museums.  At the end of my latest trip I visited one of its lesser known museums, the National Watercolor Museum.  It was founded by Mexican watercolorist Alfredo Guati Rojo (1918-2003).   Guati Rojo devoted his life to the promotion of water color paintings by Mexican and international artists.  When the Mexican government turned down his request for the creation of a museum dedicated to water colors, the painter and his wife founded a museum without government assistance. It was originally housed in a building in the Roma neighborhood of Mexico City, but when that building was destroyed in the 1985 earthquake, the collection was relocated to a house in Coyoacán, a district in southern Mexico City.

The first gallery in the museum contains reproductions of pre-Hispanic murals and codices.  Since those early civilizations used water based paints, it could be stated that history of water colors in Mexico goes all the way back to that era.

The next room contains Mexican works from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

"Xochimilco" by Ignacion Rosas, 1912

"Alegory" by Saturnino Herrán, 1915

Herrán is the only artist in the museum with whom I was already familiar.

There was an exhibit of his work at the Palace of Fine Arts last year.

The next room has a collection of some of the founder Alfredo Guati Rojo's works.

"The Church at Chimalistac"

"White Soul"

Heading upstairs there is a gallery devoted to 20th century Mexican watercolorists.

"Market at Taxco" by Roberto Cueva del Río, 1975

 "Interior of a Streetcar" by Luis Serrano, 1930

 "Reading Quixote" by Erasto León Zurita, 1971

"Tepoztlán" by Irene Gevuzzo Gérard, 1988

Some of the paintings are in a more abstract style.

"Metamorphosis of a Frog" by Juan Antonio Madrid Vargas, 1995

"Watermelon" by María Eugenia Anduga

"Rhythm of Jazz" by Angel Mauro Rodríguez,1967

The final room of the museum is devoted to international artists.

"Oiled Paper Umbrellas" by Zhou Tianya, China

"Venice" by Mario Cooper, U.S.A.

"Traditional Fiesta" by Galina Sheetikoff, Brazil

Next to the museum is a separate building where special exhibit are shown.  In my next entry I will write about the impressive show that was going on when I was there.

Mexican Direction

(Image taken from the web)

Last night I watched the Academy Awards, and, of course, I was rooting for "Roma".  On my recent trip I had seen the critically acclaimed motion picture at a small cinema in the Roma neighborhood of Mexico City just a couple of blocks from the street and house where much of the movie was shot.  I loved the movie.  Even the first part, which some people complained was boring, to me was a beautiful evocation of Mexican life in that era.  I found the climactic scenes toward the end to be incredibly powerful.

"Roma" did not win the Oscar for Best Picture, but it did win three important awards:  Best Foreign Film, Best Cinematography, and Best Director.  Director Alfonso Cuarón appeared on stage all three times to receive the awards.  (Cuarón not only directed, but was also in charge of the movie's cinematography.  He is the first person to ever win Oscars in both categories for the same movie.)  On his third trip up to the stage, he quipped, "Being here doesn't get old."

It is also interesting that in recent years, Mexican directors have dominated the category at the Academy Awards...

2013 - Alfonso Cuarón won for "Gravity"
2014 - Alejandro Iñárritu for "Birdman"
2015 - Alejandro Iñárritu for "Revanant"
2017 - Guillermo del Toro for "The Shape of Water"
...and now Cuarón's win for "Roma" means that Mexican directors have won the Best Director award for five of the last six years.   

The Garden Plaza

For as long as I can remember, Mexico City's main plaza, the Zócalo, has been a vast paved area.  But in the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century it was a garden with trees, grassy areas and flowers.

The last time that I was on the Zócalo, about a week ago, there was a photographic exhibit with historic pictures showing the plaza as it use to be.

This undated photograph is a view of Zócalo looking north from the balcony of the city hall toward the Cathedral.

This picture, also undated, looks to the east toward the National Palace.

The Zócalo in 1938

Looking toward the Zócalo from 20 de Noviembre Avenue.

The buildings are illuminated for Independence Day in 1944.

The National Palace illuminated for Independence Day in 1944

The Zócalo in 1954

In most Mexican cities, the main plaza is a pleasant park-like setting.  That would be nice in  Mexico City, but it probably would not work.   The Zócalo is the scene of frequent political rallies and protests as well holiday celebrations.  On such occasions the square can fit a crowd of more the 100,000.  I doubt that a garden would survive such events. 

Back Home

My return home to Ohio from Mexico City on Thursday went smoothly.  Alejandro drove me to the airport for my morning flight to Houston.  We were at the United Airlines desk about two and a half hours before departure, and there was no line for check-in.  We had plenty of time for a leisurely breakfast before we said farewell and I passed through security to go to the gate.

My flight left on time.  I wish that I had a window seat so that I could have taken some photos.  The morning was exceptionally sunny and clear, and the view of Mexico City as we took off impressive.

It wasn't so sunny in Houston however.  It was a gray, rainy day.

I passed through immigration and customs effortlessly.  The only waiting was at the luggage claim, and that was maybe only fifteen minutes.  Heading back through security was also relatively painless.  There was no line, and for some reason TSA did not require us to take off our shoes or jackets.  I had a long layover in Houston.  One of the perks of my credit card is that I get two passes each year to used the United Club lounge.  I had one pass left, so I spend the time quite comfortably in the lounge and took advantage of the free food and beverages.

My flight to Cleveland was slightly delayed, but arrival was only fifteen minutes late.  Fortunately I did not return to frigid, winter weather.  The high temperatures have been in the 40s, and tomorrow it is forecast to reach 50.  We will certainly have some cold and snow before spring arrives, but hopefully I have missed out on the worst of winter.

A Parting Shot

One last view of the volcanoes at twilight from the roof of Alejandro's house...

Time Has Passed

Just a month ago I took pictures of the lunar eclipse.  Last night I took of picture of the so-called "super-moon" from the window of my apartment.

I have been in Mexico since January 9th and in Mexico City since January 14th.  The time has come to return to Ohio.  Today I will get everything organized here at the apartment, pack the few things that I need to take home, and then take the Metrobus to Alejandro's house.  I will spend the night there, and early tomorrow morning he will take me to the airport.  

But don't go away... I have more to write about this trip.