Well, after the mayhem of the last few weeks – I had to cancel my trip to NYC, fired the nanny etc.- things got slowly back to normal. So this morning, I decided to treat my visiting mother from Paris to the Brand new Jumex Museum. Baby and stroller in tow, we trotted to this newly developed part of Polanco which is already home to two museums, Mr. Carlos Slim’s Sumaya and Eugenio Lopez Alonso’s Jumex Museum. I must say that I am a big fan of contemporary architecture and that these two museums are quite stunning pieces. Looks like mexico’s super riches are competing through architectural monuments and museums, a way to leave a legacy I guess…
Here is Carlos Slim’s Sumaya named after his belated wife and hosting his vast and a little hectic collection
And here is the freshly inaugurated Jumex Museum which looks like an old day factory, created buy architect David Chipperfield
We were told to head to the 3rd floor to start our visit and proceed down which we dutifully obliged. The architecture is absolutely stunning with extremely high windowed ceilings which allow for rooms flooded with natural light. As for the Summaya, the accent is put on volumes and stair cases.
The collection of the Jumex Foundation was founded by Eugenio Lopez Alonso after he visited the Saatchi collection in London. Ego, when you hold me…. Conceived and directed by the independent art curator and historian Patricia Martín from 1998 to 2005 the collection has been open to the public since March 2001. Curator and collector Patrick Charpenel Corvera was named the director of the new museum which was inaugurated this last 19th of November.
The 2,600-strong Colección Júmex is believed to be the largest contemporary art collection in private hands in Latin America, with special emphasis on Mexican contemporary artists such as Miguel Calderón, Abraham Cruzvillegas and Mario García Torres. But no contemporary collection is completed without a Damian Hirst, of course. here’s a decaying ox head in its preservative liquid, remind me of the white shark one from the same series held at the Met in NYC.
As i told you, the 3rd floor space is absolutely amazing, massive volumes divide by floor to ceiling threads which give the illusions of mirrors or partitions.
An installation giving you the finger?????
My absolute favourite being this humorous painting
And the white guy leaning on a wall by Gonzalo Lebrija, which made me think of Jerusalem wall of laments
Part of the second floor is painted black for an intense and dramatic effect and host a wide collection of pieces by James Lee Byars.
This is the conscience
And this one would be perfect for an indian wedding.
I am very glad that this part of Nuevo Polanco is turning into such a pleasant and art filled aerea where us, Chilangos, can finally walk a little. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit of the Jumex Musuem but you have to be into contemporary and conceptual art to fully appreciate it. May be you should’t bring your mother over…
cyrinejoaristi 