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Home , Chapultepec Castle, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Emilio Amero, Olga Costa, Rufino Tamayo

V oices ofMerico /January • March, 1995 41 Gallery of

n the early the , Carolina and Inés Amor decided to give City an indispensable tool for promoting the fine arts in whatI was, at that time, an unusual way. They created a space where artists not only showed their art, but could also sell directly to people who liked their work. It was a place which gave a modem, cosmopolitan air, offering domestic and international collectors the work of Mexico's artistic vanguard. The Gallery of Mexican Art was founded in 1935 by Carolina Amor, who worked for the publicity department at the of Fine Arts before opening the gallery. That job had allowed her to form close ties with the artists of the day and to learn about their needs. In an interview, "Carito" —as she was called by her friends— recalled a statement by the then director of the Palace of Fine Arts, dismissing young artists who did not follow prevailing trends: "Experimental theater is a diversion for a small minority, chamber music a product of the court and easel a decoration for the salons of the rich." At that point Carolina felt her work in that institution had come to an end, and she decided to resign. She decided to open a gallery, based on a broader vision, in the basement of her own house, which her father had used as his studio. At that time, the concept of the gallery per se did not exist. The only thing approaching it was Alberto Misrachi's bookstore, which had an The gallery has a beautiful patio. area reserved for the sale of . 42 Voices of Mexico /January • March, 1995

In 1932, the master lithographer . Their She looked for a larger and more opened a place to sell revolutionary cause received full central location for this event, which pictures, but he had to close after a support from the government. turned out to be quite a happening. showing of small sculptures which no With great enthusiasm and perfect This was not the last time Tamayo one bought. A decoration store located organization, Carolina laid the showed his work at the GAM —after in the center of the city also exhibited groundwork for opening a new space achieving success in the United foreign and Mexican paintings, with to exhibit art. Her idea was to invite States he was again invited, but this similar results. not only famous artists, but also time at the gallery's new address on To steal attention away from the painters who were still unknown: General Prim Street. painters of the day was no small Agustín Lazo, Alfaro Siqueiros, Diego Six months after the gallery's feat. The art themes of the 1920s and Rivera, Miguel Covarrubias, Angélica opening, Margaret Naumberg '30s centered on nationalist ideas. Beloff, Carlos Medina, Rufino —commissioned by the Rockefeller Scenes of the Revolution were Tamayo, Germán Cueto, Julio organization— invited Carolina on a recreated far and wide on the walis of Castellanos, and trip across Central America to present the city's most important buildings. Tamariz, among others. She carried an exhibition entitled "The Three , out publicity campaigns through Americas." During Carolina's absence and José Clemente Orozco painted key newspapers and travel agencies as her sister Inés took charge of the buildings such as the Palace of Fine well as at embassies and hotels. In the gallery. The sisters remained in Arts, the San Ildefonso Preparatory beginning she was oriented to constant communication through School, the and attracting foreign buyers. In March of letters, in which Inés playfully 1935, with the reproached Carolina for the help of friends responsibility she had been left with. and One year later Inés was completely in acquaintances, charge of the gallery. she inaugurated "It occurred to me that Inés had the Galería de the business sense that I lacked. Arte Mexicano Organizing the gallery, being able to (GAM), with a bring the painters together —that was collective my job. But the survival of the exposition of business was really due to her. She watercolors, oils, was an excellent saleswoman who also lithographs and gave herself fully to Mexican art. She small sculptures. came to be an authority on the subject. In those days Her clients had great confidence in 's her, and she had a gift for convincing work was still people. She picked the paintings they viewed as would buy and spurred the painters on "strange" in to produce and outdo themselves," Mexico. Seeking Carolina noted. greater In one of many anecdotes, Inés acceptance, he remembers the day a pair of decided to move Americans arrived at the gallery, to New York, chose a couple of the most expensive where he lived paintings and then left. The happiness for some time at making such a sale was so great that with his wife the painter and some of his friends Olga. Before his tossed the money into the air and as departure, the bilis fell like rain, the couple carne Carolina back to the gallery to collect an e enthusiastically umbrella they had left behind. a organized an From its opening until today the individual GAM has had four different directors. Entrance to the Gallety of Mexican Art. showing for him. In the course of its fruitful and V okes of Mexico /Januar), e March, 1995 43

Chapultepec. It is Replacing Inés —who had been a run by Alejandra sort of mother, fairy godmother, Yturbe and Inés' patron and adviser to many of the daughter Mariana artists— did not work out for some Pérez Amor. They who had been around since the have intuitively beginning. But the new administration preserved the also provided a youthful, invigorating principies new vision to the GAM. inherited from the In the book Historia y legendary Amor testimonios, Galeria de Arte Mexicano sisters. by Delmari Romero Keith (Mexico History City, 1985), Mariana said: "This work 2 seems to repeat carries heavy emotional baggage; you itself. Inés left must work at all hours with very Alejandra Yturbe (standing) and Mariana Pérez Amor (seated). them in charge of sensitive, emotion-filled people." interesting history it has promoted the the gallery and alter two years decided For Alejandra, the gallery works work of artists belonging to several not to return, with the difference that "because there is an almost perfect different generations: Carlos Mérida, they could close the gallery if they order, which was established many Francisco Zúñiga, Raúl Anguiano, wished. Their cornmitment led them to years ago. I think a business sometimes , Juan Soriano, Helen continue. Since her childhood, needs order more than intelligence." Escobedo, , Leonora Mariana was acquainted with famous The evolution of the GAM Carrington and many others. figures from the art world. She reflects, in part, the transformations One of the priceless treasures remembers trips with her mother to the fine arts have gone through in which the GAM preserves is an New York and Europe, where they Mexico —aboye all the avant-garde. archive going back to the period when were received by friends of Inés, all of In contrast to the pattern of Inés it opened, which is maintained and them extraordinary people from the Amor's day, 80 percent of buyers updated by the gallery's current artistic community. Alejandra had are now Mexican and 20 percent directors. This archive contains experience in administrative work at are foreigners pamphlets, catalogues, newspaper the gallery. They both decided to push articles, photographs and details about forward and confront whatever Mónica Ching the organization of each exhibition problems might lie ahead. Assistant Editor. —not one is missing. Anyone interested in writing the biography of a painter from the last seven decades is likely to find unique information in the GAM archives. Today there are many galleries throughout Mexico. Some open without knowledge or experience in the art business, and therefore have to close in short order, causing a loss of prestige for the artists they promoted. Others, with a purely commercial orientation, lack both the interest and talent necessary to sustain a gallery and support artists. The GAM has maintained the same level of care and professionalism since its foundation. Today it is located at Gobernador Rafael Rebollar No. 43 in Mexico City's Colonia San Miguel In contrast with its beginnings, the gallery's buyers are now basically Mexican.