Earlier today I visited the Museum of Latin American Art. It kind of already implies that in the title though, right? Currently, the main exhibition is Mexico: Fantastic Identity 20th Century Masterpieces from the FEMSA collection and consisted of various art movements that were important in Mexico during the 20th Century. An artist that might instantly pop up in your mind is Frida Kahlo, and you'd be right. Her 1993 painting My Dress Hangs There was marked off in the finale of the exhibition and it was my first time having the opportunity to see it up close. The merge of collage and oil paints took me back to the days of my art lessons, and inspired me to continue in my creative pursuits in life. I'm sure everyone else who visits will feel a similar surge of enthusiasm run through them too.
Of course, it wasn't Frida Kahlo day, and the artwork produced from the rest of the exhibition equally measured up. If not, was even more enflamed with brilliance. Among the experimentations of cubism, surrealism and photography, my favourite artwork came from Juan O'Gorman. A muralist and architect I'd never heard of before, I was mesmerised by O'Gorman's detail on such a large canvas of wood. You'll see the piece I'm referring to below, where he incorporates Adam and Eve, hellish symbolism in the bottom section of the painting, and also animals journeying towards the Arc. I wouldn't really think of myself as religious, but I could appreciate the sheer dedication and pure talent which came from his fingers to his brush, and created such an intricate painting.
I hope you enjoy the photos I sneakily took in there, and if you're ever in Long Beach, California, MOLAA is definitely worth a visit.
Gabriel Fernández Ledesma
Juan O'Gorman (My Favourite)
Alejandro Colunga
Both illustrations were carved in using a sharpened pen and shoe polish
Can't believe this was carved in to leather by a self-taught convict! Such talen
Peter von Artens
Diego Linares
Rodolfo Morales
