VOiCes OfMeXiCO /July • September, 1995 81 lk f iltl ■ The persistente f 11 7 1 of Mexico U IMI1 1:14 la Mary Schneider Enriquez* ! BEL

ften, in times of momentum will continue to propel series of ten historical exhibitions. crisis, the arts upcoming exhibitions and projects. "Here in Mexico we have lived produce more," Armando Colina, director of Arvil through these crises before and says Gerardo Suter, Gallery in Mexico City, which things continue," says Colina. one of Mexico's leading contemporary shows modern masters such as Frida "There is a dynamic in the art world photographers. "In the last economic Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and José that you cannot stop; you must crisis, artists, filmmakers, writers and Clemente Orozco, is celebrating the continue creating, organizing, and photographers continued producing, gallery's 25th anniversary with a presenting, regardless." and with more energy and vitality than before." Amid the after-effects of a major currency devaluation and the resulting instability of the Mexican economy, the Mexican art world is taking a collective breath as it awaits the decline of government and private- sector arts support. "At the end of each presidential administration, everything comes to a halt as funding and leadership changes alter arts institutions and planned projects," says Pilar García, an art historian and member of the Mexico City arts think tank CURARE. "But this time, after six years of more projects, more scholarships, and more private-sector and government arts initiatives than ever before, the harsh economic reality suggests that the next year for the arts will stand in bleak contrast to the preceding ones." Nonetheless, artists, dealers and curators alike judge the situation as temporary, and believe that past

First published in ARTnews, April, 1995.

* ARTnews' Mexico correspondant. Gerardo Suter, Tláloc, 1991. Vokes of Mexico /July • September, 1995

This and we tone are now pervades organizing the Mexican an exhibition art of Mexican community. artist Laura New museums Anderson, have opened in the scheduled for March, last year, such as the with their support. Now widely hailed Centro de more than ever we have to la Imagen photography Adolfo Patiño, Santa Frida, 1988. find business sponsors to museum and the Dolores fund exhibitions." Olmedo Museum, housing Olmedo's runs our bookstore. The revenues earned Even private museums such as the impressive collection of Rivera and from this store are used to support, for Centro Cultural de Arte Kahlo works; and others are example, the museum's education Contemporáneo, funded by the being proposed, such as a center for programs, ranging from youth studio international telecommunications contemporary art in Guadalajara, courses to advanced theory programs in giant Televisa, feel the effects of the currently undergoing a feasibility which students can earn their diploma." weak economy. "Due to the study. Regarding exhibitions, Del Conde devaluation, we have had to cancel all Rafael Tovar y de Teresa, the continues: "American Express has but two of the international exhibitions president of the National Council for funded some, namely the Giorgio de planned for 1995 —`Vestiges of the Culture and Arts, stated last January Chirico and Remedios Varo exhibitions, Holy Land: Selections from the Israel that cultural priorities and objectives Museum in Jerusalem' and `Ikko would be redefined without severely Tanaka: Art of the Japanese Poster,' " diminishing the budget. According to according to a curator at the museum. the Mexico City daily La Jornada, "But we have scheduled a beautiful Tovar y de Teresa pledged continued exhibition of Rufino Tamayo's support for artists' scholarships, arts paintings from 1920 to '50 and a projects, the Centro de la Imagen, and wonderful exhibition of Mexican the National Center for the Arts, exvotos, both of which will draw inaugurated by President Salinas in large audiences and generate November 1994, which includes the national pride." schools of visual arts, dance, theater On a different note, Magda and film. Carranza —another curator at the Realistically, though, the art museum— adds: "Although it is a community anticipates cutbacks. Funds difficult economic moment, it provides for culture cannot continue at the levels a great opportunity for foreigners to prior to the devaluation. Teresa del impon art and artists from Mexico." Conde, director of the Museum of Given the peso's devaluation. Modem Art in Mexico City, explains Mexican art is now inexpensive in the steps she has taken to assure the foreign markets and provides an continuity of her programs. "We extraordinary opportunity for established a Friends Society, which Sergio Hernández, Untitled, 1989. willing buyers.

Voices of Mexico /✓uly • September, 1995 83

From the gallery side, dealers in Mexico City, count on sales to the ones to buy. The effect will be to concur and are looking to foreign foreign clients. "I love contemporary segment the market. The rich will still markets and collectors for salvation. As art," Menocal says. "My problem is to buy, and the middle class will not." Monterrey's dynamic gallery owner stay loyal to my mission, to present One Mexico City curator remarked Ramis Barquet explains: "Since the peso really contemporary art and not follow confidentially to ARTnews: "I received fell, I began changing my life. Now is the market. We have to be careful two offers from people selling a Diego the time for Mexican dealers to go with prices. People are scared, so Rivera and a Leonora Carrington, international and export Mexican artists. perhaps we won't sell for six months. within two weeks after the devaluation. Like any other business, we have to look In the meantime I have clients These are pieces never before available for markets in dollars in other countries. outside Mexico." on the market. We're going to see great I plan to attend five international art fairs Outside is where art will be sold works of art for sale by people who this year —Miami, Madrid, Barcelona, for the next few months, agrees Rafael need money." As Matos concludes, Caracas and Chicago. Fortunately, there Matos, director of the Rafael Matos "Art always has a market. Even are collectors buying now in Colombia, Moctezuma Auction House in Mexico Nicaragua sold art during their civil Peru, Costa Rica, Panama, and the U.S." City. In his experience, the majority of war. Art is noble and can be defended Barquet does not seem daunted by the people buying Mexican art in the during the worst of times." search for new collectors. "I'm about to United States and abroad are still Jaime Riestra, codirector of the open a new gallery space, and will show Mexicans. "People who want to sell contemporary art gallery OMR in Ray Smith and Julian Schnabel." Mexican masters will do so in New Mexico City, has gone ahead and Other dealers, such as Cuban-born York, and wealthy Mexicans with their planned a provocative exhibition Nina Menocal of Galería Nina Menocal money in United States banks will be schedule for 1995 featuring two new

Adolfo Patiño, Offering to Andy Warhol, 1987. 84 Voices of Mexico /July • September, 1995

art. CURARE's curator and director, Olivier Debroise, says, "Many criticize the government's artist- scholarship system, but I believe that, at the risk of creating an official art, it is a good structure. Each person receives his piece of the pie and cannot win it again, so the awards are spread among many artists." Adolfo Patino, a Mexican artist who works with emerging talents, says, "At this moment there isn't political art precisely because the state is paying artists not to protest. The same was true in the 1920s when the government paid artists to paint public murals rather than anti- government images." Remove official support in a climate of economic and social uncertainty, and Mexican artists may very well create a politically volatile art. Some of the most independent artists in Mexico formed artist-run alternative spaces in the early '90s, such as ZONA and Temístocles 44. Both places have struggled, with the latter ultimately disbanding. Fortunately, a surprisingly large number of government-run and private art institutions exist, providing a backbone and outlet for contemporary art. They range from the richly appointed, like the Leonora Carrington, At Eo, Quod, 1956. beautiful Museum of Contemporary Art in Monterrey, to the bare-bones artists. "In addition to going to economy seems to have had little spaces where artists must paint the ARCO in February," he says, "we immediate effect on them. Although walls and change light bulbs. have programmed some great some receive government scholarships In Mexico City, six institutions exhibitions: Arturo Elizondo, a or have patrons, most do not earn offer exhibition space to contemporary Mexican who lives in New York and steady incomes, anyway. But they will artists. The Siqueiros Poliforum, for sells a lot in Europe; Guillermo eventually feel the pain if the example, is a private cultural center Pérez Villalta, a Spaniard who has a economy continues on its present directed by María Teresa Márquez. "I big European following; and an course, since they have to sell to make receive support from the Government emerging artist, Ishai Jusidman, who a living. Arts Council, CONACULTA, and will present objects and Government scholarships are an have to raise the rest," she says. "To installations." integral pan of an artist's this end, I planned a February 14 As far as Mexican artists development. If they are eliminated, `Love of Art' dance, where masks themselves are concerned, the one likely effect is the politicization of painted by Mexican masters such as Voices of Mexico /July • September, 1995 85

Vicente Rojo and José Luis Cuevas Finally, the X'Teresa Alternative she says. "We need to think beyond were auctioned to raise money." Art Center is an unusual space in the the next six to eight months." The Rufino Tamayo Museum Old Temple of Saint Teresa located in Despite the unease generated by and the Museum of Modern Art, the heart of Mexico City. Although economic uncertainty, the Mexican art across from each other in this awe-inspiring, vaulted space has world is taking the situation in stride, Chapultepec Park, exhibit established seen some interesting avant-garde remaining stoically optimistic and contemporary artists. The Tamayo exhibitions and events— such as the confident that a year from now more specializes in international Mexican/U.S. Latino Artists' exhibitions will be arranged contemporary art, and the Museum of performance exchange and the internationally, more art will sell, and Modern Art combines international International Forum of Contemporary more funding will exist for scholarships and Mexican art, but neither museum Art Theory with the director of the and projects. In the meantime, Mexico is readily available for solo 1997 Documenta, Catherine David- will reexamine and celebrate its rich exhibitions by most contemporary the administration of X'Teresa has artistic heritage as well as the artists. As collector Sergio Autrey alienated much of the Mexican arts contemporary visions of its many artists. says, "An artist must pass through community. Artists, curators, and art Gerardo Suter echoes the thoughts many stages, beginning with the historians alike, who requested that of many of the country's artists when Casa de Cultura of San Angel or any their names be withheld, have he says, "It's going to be difficult of the other casas de cultura in the complained that this potentially vital without government and private country, then the Museo Carrillo Gil, space for contemporary art is support. But we have to try harder to next the Museum of Modern Art, underutilized due to friction within create. The economic problems before he reaches the National the administration. both burden and behoove us to Museum of Art." Besides these established produce more." Three government museums show structures, there are so-called art the work of very contemporary artists. promoters, supported by private Sergio Hernández: dragon lizards The Museo Carrillo Gil mounts enterprise, such as La Vaca and dancing skeletons exhibitions of installations, sculptures, Independiente [The Independent "One paints for a sense of magic, of objects and paintings by such young Cow], which was founded in 1991 by fear," explains Sergio Hernández, the talents as Diego Toledo, Nestor Claudia Madrazo. She describes the 37-year-old artist from Oaxaca. Quinones, and Silvia Gruner. The purpose of La Vaca Independiente as The southern Mexican state that museum's "Encuentro Nacional de threefold: "One is to promote many consider Mexico's cultural Arte Joven," combining paintings, education for children —interactive capital was also the birthplace of graphic art, photography and objects, children's books and programs for Rufino Tamayo. Hernández is known is a type of salon for emerging talents schools. Two, to promote emerging, for his richly colored and textured and, alter 14 years, an important young Mexican artists and Mexican semi-abstract paintings and fixture in the contemporary art scene. design. Our third priority is to provide sculptures of mythical creatures — Although much of the art presented is consulting services for organizing hybrids born of Zapotecan Indian painfully weak, the forum and exhibitions." La Vaca Independiente's legends and Egyptian and European experience it provides are invaluable. next big project is to copublish with voyages. He was one of the few The Museo del Chopo, part of Harry N. Abrams in New York The contemporary artists included in the the National University system in Diary of Frida Kahlo: An Intimate 1991 Metropolitan Museum of Art Mexico City, is another lively center Self-Portrait, scheduled for release in block-buster exhibition "Thirty for contemporary art. It is described September 1995. Centuries of Mexican Art," and his as both a university and an Each exhibition and project work figures in most public and alternative museum for those lacking Madrazo's group produces requires private collections in Mexico, such as access to exhibition space. The not- private funding, which, she admits, the Centro Cultural de Arte always-cogent but provocative will be harder to come by. Contemporáneo and the Museum of exhibitions mounted there include Nonetheless, she remains determined. Modern Art in Mexico City. the annual group show "Cultural "The great talent and energies of Hernández's images —ranging Fight Against AIDS." Mexico can work to do many things," from primitive dragon lizards to 86 Voices of Mexico /July • September, 1995

dancing skeletons— are provocative, would receive an education. "My work in the National Collection. This technically interesting, and at once father placed me as an apprentice with allowed him to travel to New York and, personal and universal. He attributes the master wood carver hired by in 1986, to Paris, where he lived for a his esthetic sensibility to his native Diego Rivera," Hernández recalls. "As year and presented an exhibition at the Oaxaca: "It is a culture full of images, a teenager from the provinces living in Mexican Cultural Center in Paris. "It of figures that arouse fear and respect the city, my life was intense. Daily I was a difficult year. I was assaulted by in people. There are countless was influenced by the murals by terrorists during a bank heist, ephemeral events using dance, music, Rivera's students I saw in the market hospitalized, and worked little. The textiles, and art that celebrate and across the street." After two years of following year I returned to Oaxaca." preserve our culture. One example is apprenticeship, he went to the Ironically, Hernández's return to the annual radish carving on November government arts academies, first San his roots prompted his move into other 23. Large, pinkish radishes are carved Carlos and later the Esmeralda, where media and exposure to outside into fantastic figures and spread on he studied drawing and painting with influences. "I always wanted to tables in the city square. Each day these Mexican masters like Luis Nichizawa work in ceramics, and in Oaxaca I can creatures, somehow imbued with and Gilberto Aceves Navarro and tried and have since my return. I use the magic, evolve as the vegetables dry. It to read the required art historical and ovens used by Oaxacan artisans, is a Oaxacan custom, a ritual philosophical texts. "But I had been identical to those excavated near Monte transformation. Lately I've been trying barely educated until age 12 in Albán dating from 200 B.C.," he to capture it on canvas." Oaxaca, and I could not read or write. exclaims. He also enjoyed exposure to Hernández's father, an artisan I didn't understand a word." international artists. "Oaxaca attracts who made furniture, transplanted his In the early 1980s, Hernández won people from everywhere six children to Mexico City when a series of scholarships from the —cinematographers, Mexican masters Hernández was about 13, so that they Mexican government, which placed his such as Armando Morales, and, two years ago, Anselm Kiefer, who is a sensitive, down-to-earth person. During a visit to my studio he remarked that my casual sketches on clay pots were more direct and convincing than many images on canvas I had planned and reworked time and again." Represented by the Galeria Quetzalli in Oaxaca City, Hernández has not had a solo exhibition for three years, nor is one planned. "Fortunately I have no problem selling. What is most important to me is to create without responsibility. I won't have a solo exhibition until I find an idea uniting my images." Dressed in a tweed sports coat and linen shirt, but possesing a soulful quality decidedly detached from urban chaos, Hernández is of his own world but of our world, too. He says defiantly, "I dislike the term `Latin American.' It assigns a place to an art. Aboye all a painting is by a man, not a Latin American or an Egyptian, and it is an Sergio Hernández, Toy Horses, 1993. expression for men everywhere." A