I had an art trek. There were three openings and I was determined to make it to all of them. I succeeded (mostly).
First stop for openings #1 and #2: Downtown
Opening #1 was a performance piece by Rosemberg Sandoval from Columbia. The Ex Teresa is a young, fun, experimental space and most of its audience is full of punky kids in their first couple of years in university. The Ex Teresa is a former convent built in the colonial era, and sits just next to the ruins of the ancient city of Tenochtitlan. The architecture is gorgeous and they are always thinking outside the box, which makes the setting that much more interesting. Also, it’s sinking at an alarming rate, so visiting the Ex Teresa also comes with a strange sense of vertigo as you try to maintain your balance walking through its uneven spaces.
Ex Teresa invitation
Sandoval requested that no photos be taken while he was performing, so I only managed to get a few.
We were all ushered into a dark room. The only lights were red ones illuminating the massive columns in the space
It was difficult to see. This was a common solution.
Dome of the Ex Teresa.
The final piece. Yes, that's a man hanging upside down by his ankles.
Opening #2 was just down the street at Museo de la Ciudad. Just down the street, however, doesn’t take into account the streets of downtown Mexico City. From one block to the next the streets got darker, and darker and much less populated. Finally, when I was only two blocks away, things became pitch black and I decided it was best to skip out on opening #2 in favor of my personal safety.
What opening #2 should have been
After the failure of opening #2, I walked back through downtown to begin the trek back to the Roma neighborhood.
Zócalo plaza lit up at night. Sometimes I have a hard time believing that I actually live here.
Madero street at night.
One Metrobús, one metro ride, and one street rat sighting later I arrived back in Roma.
Espacio M, Colonia Roma
Opening #3 was an exhibition by a newer collective of artists, all of whom are incredibly talented. The gallery itself is on the bottom floor of an architecture firm, and does not host regular exhibitions.
Title wall. Translation: Disillusion of the Landscape
If I remember correctly, this is made of melted plastic
Unfortunately, the price lists were all occupied. I never did find out which artists did which pieces. There was some great work in the show.
Paint and charcoal on canvas and directly on the wall
Ink on paper. This was a long, thin book.
After such a long day, lots of walking, intense public transportation, and lots of PR and art, I decided food and a well-deserved beer was in order to close out the evening.
Strolling through Plaza Rio de Janeiro. That's a replica of Michelangelo's David
A Victoria (VICTORY!), and a Gringa (what most Texans call a quesadilla).
To be completely honest, the night actually continued on with many mezcales, tequila, and even more cervezas at a prostitute cantina in Roma. But that’s a story for another day…
