The Kaluz Museum raises the puzzle of national art history

The Kaluz Museum presents a pictorial exhibition last Saturday and until September that, in the words of its curator, Raúl Cano, not only addresses a history of Mexican art that has not been told, but also becomes a pioneer by adding missing pieces to that puzzles and propose the rescue of a new narrative.

It’s about Under the same Mexico: the Kaluz and Juan Coronel Rivera collections 1921-1973, With which, in addition, that historic enclosure – located on Hidalgo 85 Avenue, a historic center – begins a dialogue with other important private artists of Mexican art.

In this case we have one of the great collections of Mexican art, that of Juan Coronel Rivera, in addition to the work with the historian Raúl Cano, who made a very important curatorship. This dialogue between that collection and that of the Kaluz Museum marks the confluence between themsaid Miguel Fernández Félix, director of that space.

“There are very recognized authors, mainly from the 20s in the early 70s of the 20th century, where the Mexican School of Painting is inserted. But also marks the vocation of both collections of rescuing unknown artists. In the tour we have the voice of Juan Coronel, who comments that his collection is not of painters, but of painting, and that leitmotif He moves to that of the Kaluz Museum, ”added the philosopher and art historian.

Both collections, then, are nourished by renowned artists, but also unknown, which I hope are more valued. With that mood of both collections to continue discovering this Mexican painting, I am sure that many surprises are going to be found.

Under the same Mexico … It brings together more than 90 works by fundamental painters of the Mexican school, including Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, María Izquierdo, Alfredo Zace, José Chávez Morado and Olga Costa. But also others that deserve a deeper study, according to Raúl Cano, being little known, such as Emilio Baz Viaud, Amador Lugo, Rosendo Soto and Celia Soto. Likewise, the Spanish exiles who joined the Mexican movement, such as José García Narezo, Antonio Serna, Antonio Rodríguez Luna and Mary Martín, to mention some.

Several of them had more than half a century of not being exposed, said the historian: “Many of the artists had been ‘lost’ for years, they had not been represented again in this type of exhibitions since the 50s. You have to emphasize In which this sample is a bit sui generis, because those of this type have been made for many years only abroad. ”

Recognized for his curator work in Rosendo Soto: in his own right, Exhibited in the Diego Rivera Mural Museum, the specialist stressed that the Kaluz Museum is far from being The typical exhibition of Mexican art review, specifically from the Mexican School of Painting.

It is not an exhibition where two collections are gathered and a selection of the great masterpieces is made, as it usually occurs with exercises like this. No, this proposal seeks to show important artists, that is, the consecrated, and those who were nothe explained.

It also seeks to rewrite the history of Mexican art, because in that pictorial movement, when primary sources are consulted, such as books or monographs, one finds that they generally say the same. They talk about the artists themselves, the great three: Rivera, Orozco and Siqueiros, as well as others who were active around them, such as Frida Kahlo, María Izquierdo, Rufino Tamayo. They always put them as if they were only that story. They are the ones that come in books, exhibition catalogs, and nothing more.

The curator highlighted that this is a first exercise to show along two collections The new rereading of the Mexican School of Painting, which has to be donenot only include those artists who have officially. He wants to be (a sample) pioneer in breaking that, showing that Mexican school are not just Forgotten of the history of post -revolutionary Mexican art (…) that criticism or historiography has neglected them does not mean that they are bad painters; They are equally good as those who achieved glory.

It is, he said, tell a story that has not been toldy Rearm.

Raúl Cano explained that the exhibition has a starting point 1921, because that year muralism was born, which resulted in the Mexican school, avant -garde that also passed to engraving, photography and sculpture, but that in this case it is limited To the painting because it is the orientation of the Kaluz Museum collection, and concludes in 1973, he added, because the following year he died yes, who is considered to close that movement.

The tour is organized in five sections that structure the conceptual-historical dialogue between the works: portraits and self-portraits; Rural, urban and architectural landscape; Rural and urban custom; Lifting nature, and between metaphysical and surreal painting.

Throughout the visit, there are mediation tools that offer an interactive experience for visitors and a deeper reading about that artistic stage. To maintain that relationship of equality between artists and names do not bind the works, they are dispensed with standing cards in the paintings. Those who wish to deepen the data of the pieces have the option of consulting the portable cards in each section.