Diario 1_16 - Mexico

DIARIO
VOL 1. ISSUE 16

Destination Art: Mexico

Rustic landscape and vibrant colors are the backdrop of a renaissance of art and beauty from Mexico City to Tulum, from Oaxaca to Guadalajara.

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Teeny Hoop Earring with Graduated Stones in 18K Gold and Turquoise

James Casebere, Yellow Passage, 2017, Galerie Templon

We saw the rich culture and passionate soul of Mexico in Alfonso Cuaròn’s latest movie, Roma, an enthralling ode to his country that in recent years has seen a resurgence in art. We start in Mexico City, where the movie is set. Here cutting-edge museums such as Museo Soumaya, Museo Nacional de Antropologìa, and Museo Rufino Tamayo coexist with iconic spots such as Frida Kahlo’s La Casa Azul and Luis Barragán's Casa Gilardi.

Barragán’s architectural feats can be seen scattered throughout the city. The Guadalajara born, Pritzker Prize winning architect’s work exemplifies a unique approach to the modern built environment. The juxtaposition of vernacular materials with the influences of the modern movement can be seen in his use of space, line, volume, and form. The Casa Luis Barragán, his personal home and studio, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.

Tradition and contemporary art alike are celebrated in this vibrant city, with the Kurimanzutto Gallery displaying international and local artists, and the Coyoacán neighborhood featuring its quirky street art.

Frida Kahlo's family home, the Casa Azúl, or "Blue House" in Coyoacán, Mexico City. © Paul Franklin via Getty Images

Museo Soumaya in Nuevo Polanco, Mexico City © James Florio

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Cluster Pendant Necklace in 18K Gold and Turquoise

Cuadra San Cristobal, Los Clubes, Mexico City, 1966–68. © Armando Salas Portugal / 2016 Barragan Foundation

On the Carribean coastline of the Yucatán peninsula, Tulum is another must-visit destination, not only for its beaches and Mayan ruins, but for its booming art scene. Here, the annual Art With Me festival combines art and music in an event lasting four days and five nights, featuring 300 events and activities for art lovers.

Casa Malca © Design Hotels

Two essential venues to the Tulum art scene are Casa Malca and IK Lab. Casa Malca, the infamous Pablo Escobar’s old estate now turned into a five-star hotel, is filled with paintings, sculptures, and furniture by some of today’s most significant contemporary artists and designers such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Kaws. IK Lab, a cement-and-wood gallery opened by Santiago Rumney Guggenheim, the great-grandson of Peggy Guggenheim, is located in the luxurious, eco-friendly Azulik hotel, where organic forms and site-specific awareness are the unique framework for contemporary art.

Oaxaca and Guadalajara represent both the ancient and up-and-coming art scenes of Mexico. The former is a UNESCO World Heritage site that boasts stunning colonial-style buildings, some of which are hubs of this city’s pulsating art life. The Biblioteca de Investigación Juan de Córdova, the Museo del Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, the Centro Cultural San Pablo, and the Oaxaca Textile Museum are just a few of the many contemporary art-filled venues in this city. The Monte Albán and the Macedonio Alcalá Theater represent the more historic must-see sites.

Guadalajara, on the other hand, has recently become a destination for aspiring artists, whose energy has made this city a landscape for trendy art galleries and creative spaces, such as the Parque Gonzalez Gallo, a park displaying modernist public art, and various galleries, such as Travesia Cuatro, also designed by Barragán, and PAOS, a space hosting artistic residencies and an educational program.

The same rigor and respect for color throughout Mexican culture is a dynamic characteristic of the IPPOLITA brand.

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3-Station Bangle in 18K Gold and Turquoise