Art in Mexico City

The largest and most populous city in North America, Mexico City has so much to offer, from its many beautiful parks to the many delicious restaurants.

If you are an art lover, this city is for you! Only Paris has more museums. If your time in Mexico City is short, it will be hard to select which ones to visit. I’ve chosen three stand-outs that, in my opinion, you should not miss.

National Museum of Anthropology

Museo Nacional de Antropología, Mexico City

Just the design of the museum alone is worth the trip. While the minimalist design may look recent, it actually was constructed in 1963-64, officially opening in September of 1964.

The photos above and below show my favorite part of the museum’s design, the central courtyard with the “Umbrella,” a remarkable towering water feature.

The design of the whole museum really is brilliant; the galleries on the main level are open to the outside courtyard so you don’t feel like you’re closed in. Surprisingly, it makes the whole experience even more enjoyable.

The artifacts are incredible, in fact this museum holds the wold’s largest collection of ancient Mexican artifacts. One of the featured items is the Aztec Sun Stone (or Calendar Stone), one of the most known Aztec artifacts. It’s hard to tell in the photo, but this disc is nearly 12 feet in diameter, 3.9 feet thick, and weighs 24 tons! It is covered in hieroglyphic carvings which depict the five wolds of the sun from Aztec mythology. Archaeologists believe the stone would have been laid flat on the ground, and possibly had blood sacrifices performed on it. There are many interpretations of whose face is in the center of the stone. Research on this continues…

Aztec Sun Stone, discovered in 1790 in Mexico City

Another big draw is the Aztec statue of Xochipilli (meaning Prince of Flowers), the god associated with art, poetry, song, alcohol and pleasure. In the statue, he is thought to be in a drugged, euphoric state, looking up toward the heavens. The carvings on the base he sits on are of hallucinogenic plants. During the Flower Festival, held in the early growing season, offerings of corn would be made to Xochipilli, and lots of pulque (traditional alcoholic beverage) would be drunk.

Statue of Xochipilli from the 16th century

The main level of the museum has 12 halls, all focused on Pre-hispanic Mexico. The upper level shows the descendants today. There is so much to see, that after about four hours I had only visited the first floor and some of the outdoor areas. Most people suggest planning to go back several times in order to see, understand and appreciate everything. If you’d like to spend the whole day in the museum to see it all, you can have a nice lunch in the museum’s cafe which offers outdoor seating.

If you just want to see the “greatest hits” like the Sun Stone, it’s pretty easy to skip around and just visit the halls you’re interested in. Personally, I chose not to rush through it all, and vowed to return as soon as possible to see the rest!

The National Palace

Part of The History of Mexico by Diego Rivera, 1929-35 — Part of *The History of Mexico* by Diego Rivera, 1929-35

It’s hard to describe the feeling you get standing in the main staircase of the National Palace, looking at Diego Rivera’s mural. It is brightly colored, symbolizing hope, and capturing the rich traditions of Mexico. It is bold and in your face, and nearly overwhelms the grand architecture of the sprawling palace. It draws you in and it’s impossible to look away.

Entrance from the courtyard to The History of Mexico mural — Entrance from the courtyard to *The History of Mexico* mural

The History of Mexico was part of a government funded mural project kicked off after the Revolution. After overthrowing the dictator, Porfirio Díaz, the new party wanted to establish a new, forward-looking society. Since most of the population was illiterate, murals were the perfect tools to promote ideas and communicate messages.

Mexico has a long history of Muralism, going back to ancient times. To me this interconnection between government and art is fascinating. We know Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece used art and architecture to sway public opinion. We also think of the Catholic church’s influence over art in the Renaissance and Baroque periods to draw people to the church. And of course, we know monarchs like Louis XIV used art to immortalize themselves. But I don’t necessarily think about this happening so recently. Here we see a whole artistic movement launched by a government less than 100 years ago.

The Mexican artists who led the project are known as “The Big Three”: José Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and Diego Rivera. All three graduated from the prestigious San Carlos Academy. All three studied in Europe and were influenced by Modernist art (Cezanne, Picasso etc.). The three were important political activists with a communist background and respect for Marxism, which is often seen in their artwork. Murals can be found throughout Mexico’s urban areas on public buildings like prominent schools and national offices.

A segment of the mural, including Rivera’s wife, Frida Kahlo with a gold necklace

The History of Mexico in the National Palace showcases important historical events like the conquest, the colonial period, the Independence movement, the Revolution, the 1920s and ‘30s, all the way into an imagined future. It depicts farmers, workers and peasants honorably fighting oppressors. And it shows that the two cultures, Spanish and Indian, can come together and form one great society.

The National Palace itself is beautiful. It’s a large complex of buildings and gardens and courtyards where you can walk around freely. I’d encourage you to take your time walking through the complex. After following some signs, you’ll eventually come to the courtyard, pictured above, with the entrance to Rivera’s murals. The pavings in this courtyard remind me of St. Peter’s Square.

There are many individual murals all around the second floor, featuring important scenes from history. In the photo of the hallway below, if you zoom in, you can see Rivera created a frieze running along the bottom of each mural. It almost looks as though it’s part of the architecture, and while telling a story, it also creates a continuity going from one painting to the next.

Plan to spend a couple hours here. Whether your interest is art, architecture, history, politics, culture or a mix of these topics, you will not be disappointed.

Note: Be sure to bring your passport which you will need to leave at the desk when you enter; the staff will transfer it to the exit where you pick it up when you leave. When I visited they only asked for one between my husband and me, but I’d suggest that each person in your group bring their own, just in case it’s needed.

The Blue House

From Diego Rivera, we move to his wife, Frida Kahlo. The Blue House is where the celebrated artist was born and also where she died. A visit here is a fascinating glimpse into her life and her work.

You may know Frida Kahlo from the movie Frida, in which Salma Hayek portrays the artist in an Academy Award-nominated performance. You may know some of her paintings as well, nearly one third of which are self-portraits.

Personally I would never be able to relate to the intense physical pain Kahlo endured throughout her life: crippling polio as a child, a horrific bus accident at 18 (breaking her spinal column, pelvis, ribs, leg and collarbone, plus other injuries) dozens of surgeries throughout her life due to the accident, and eventually the amputation of part of her leg.

My painting carries with it the message of pain. -Frida Kahlo

I do relate to her signature dark, thick eyebrows which she often exaggerated in her self-portraits to create a uni-brow effect. Thanks to my own Mexican ancestry, my eyebrows were very similar growing up. And they were a feature I felt quite self-conscious about. If only I had Kahlo’s ability to embrace the things that make us unique.

The most important part of the body is the brain. Of my face, I like the eyebrows and eyes. -Frida Kahlo

Kahlo played with the masculine/feminine theme and beauty ideals of the day. She was kind of the anti-flapper at the time, and her traditional Tehuana dresses were a symbol of strength.

The Two Fridas, housed in the Museo de Arte Moderno in Mexico City — *The Two Fridas*, housed in the Museo de Arte Moderno in Mexico City

The Blue House consists of several buildings with beautiful gardens throughout. Walking along the paths, you come to sitting areas, artistic displays, sculptures and beautiful plants and flowers.

Inside, you walk through her bedroom, her studio, and other rooms, set up as they would have been while she was alive. It feels a bit like snooping, or being somewhere you’re not supposed to be. That is how well it’s been preserved. The museum contains personal objects, but also some of her most important artwork such as Long Live Life (1954), Portrait of My Father Wilhelm Kahlo (1952), and others.

While visiting the museum, take some time to walk through the neighborhood, Coyoacan. It’s kind of an upscale bohemian area with beautiful tree-lined streets and a huge park called Jardin Centenario. It’s a quiet, understated area of art galleries, cafes and markets - very different from the chaotic historic center. I had one of my best and cheapest meals in this area (about $5 per person for a three-course prix-fixe lunch including unlimited juice), in such a hole-in-the-wall type place that I don’t even remember the name unfortunately. So, take a chance!

There are other museums where you can see Kahlo’s paintings, but I love The Blue House for a true look into her life. Because to really know her work, you have to first know her.

They thought I was surrealist, but I wasn’t. I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality. -Frida Kahlo

Note: The Blue House is one of the most popular museums in Mexico City. Try to purchase your tickets in advance online, otherwise you’ll face a long line.