Contemporary Art Museum Opens In Polanco

Oct 31, 2013

The Jumex Museum will be the largest private contemporary art space in America. // © Jumex Museum F

The upscale Polanco neighborhood in Mexico City will witness the opening of a new museum of contemporary art this month. The Jumex Museum will showcase the Jumex Foundation Contemporary Art collection, which includes the works of artists from around the world, with a concentration on artists in Mexico and throughout Latin America. Designed by renowned British architect David Chipperfield, the building’s architecture features a solid white facade with a top-floor skylight that allows natural light to highlight the displays.

“With more than 175 museums, Mexico City is well-known for its extensive variety of spaces that cater to different interests,” said Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera. “The addition of the Jumex Museum is an important one for the city and its people, as it celebrates emerging artists as well as iconic personalities of contemporary art.”

The Jumex Museum will have five levels and will be the largest private contemporary art space in Latin America. It will display permanent and rotating exhibits and house meeting spaces. The Jumex Foundation Contemporary Art collection comprises approximately 2,000 pieces of contemporary art from the 1990s to today. In addition to Mexican contemporary artists such as Miguel Calderon, Jose Davila and Cerith Wyn Evans, it includes works created by international artists such as Carl Andre, John Baldessari, Donald Judd, Bruce Nauman and Andy Warhol.

The Jumex Museum’s inaugural exhibits are set to include the following:

“James Lee Byars-1/2 an Autobiography,” curated by Magali Arriola and Peter Eleey, is an elaborate monographic exhibit of the conceptual artist James Lees Byars. It opens Nov. 17.
Curated by Rosario Nadal, “Cosmogonía Domestica” is an exhibit specially commissioned by the foundation for the new museum’s patio area. It will be on display through 2015.
“Las Ideas de Gamboa,” on display after Nov. 17, reveals Mauricio Marcin’s investigation of the work of Fernando Gamboa, one of the most important individuals of Mexico’s artistic heritage, famous as both an artist and curator. The editorial project showcases Gamboa’s various exhibits and cultural efforts.