Esoteric Survey

This is the third year in a row I've taken a trip to Mexico City in November.
It's incredible that just a little over two months ago a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit the city. 370 people died. I debated about not going this year, but was encouraged by a couple of friends who had just been and reassured me that I wouldn't be in the way. Plus, a large sector of their economy relies on tourism. So against my mom's wishes, I went. Fuerza Mexico (Mexico Strength) banners are hung around the city and in some ways it's hard to tell anything happened. There's actually some controversy about that. There are accusations that the government is trying to hide the damage by covering up earthquake stricken buildings. That obviously isn't the case with this building in the Juarez neighborhood. Although in other areas, entire buildings are hidden with black tarps. What's also not evident is the large number of people who have been displaced due to condemned buildings. The …

Butaca Chair (1940) by William Spratling. Chest by Elizabeth Jane Colter for the Fred Harvey Corporation. The chest was was used in the La Posada Hotel in Winslow, Arizona. They are being exhibited in Found in Translation: Design in California and Mexico, 1915–1985at LACMA is part of PST: LALA.  The exhibition examines design dialogues between California and Mexico. This includes Americans working in Mexico, Mexicans working in California and the cultural influences and exchanges between the two.  Frank Kyle chair from his Willow series (1953). Kyle was American, but worked in Mexico City. The Peineta chair (1952) by Canadian-born designer, Edmund Spence. He worked mostly in the United States, but for a time his furniture was produced by 
Industria Mueblera S.A. of Mexico. Michael van Beuren, Don Shoemaker and Clara Porset all moved to Mexico from their respective countries. Van Beuren and Shoemaker came from the United States and established their own furniture manufacturing companies. …

Museo de Arte Moderno (1964) by architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez


The view from above, 1960s.
Source:  Museo de Arte Moderno
There was a small exhibition of Mexican Modernism at the same time the Don Shoemaker exhibition was happening. 
1950s iron table by Talleres Chacón
Cube lamb by Diego Matthai, 1971


Gustavo Perez
Enamels by Miguel Pineda

Mosaic table by Genaro Álvarez
A sculpture garden wraps around the museum.
Manuel Felguérez