Inevitable Starchitecture: Romero’s Mexic-Arte Museum Maquette at the Guggenheim
The proposed big wheel/Aztec calendar design for a new Mexic-Arte Museum building on congress Ave. in Austin by Fernando Romero was part of the architect’s “You are the Context” exhibition and book launch held at the Guggenheim Museum on Dec. 12. Though widely criticised as stereotypically ethnic (with the Aztec calendar projection), too expensive, or [...]
De Vivi Mask Collection Donated to Mexic-Arte, on display in January
In other Mexi-Arte news, the museum has received the 300 piece Patricia and Carmine De Vivi Mexican Mask Collection. Mr. De Vivi began his visits to indigenous villages in the 1950′s and collected the masks used in rituals and dances. The De Vivis, who live in New Mexico selected Mexic-Arte Museum as the permanent home [...]
El Museo Soumaya: It’s just as confused as I am
I always find it curious when art institutions decide to go into ambitious building programs. Typically the reasoning is the same: to offer a space in which the public is invited to enjoy the works of art in the collection, or the exhibitions produced specifically for the space. Either way, it always seems as though [...]
The Dream of Bilbao in Austin: Co.Design on Mexic-Arte’s New Building
co.Design chimes in on the Mexic-arte museum’s proposed new building, noting the “dream of Bilbao:” the usefulness of an eye-catching structure as a fundraising and branding tool. The article also notes that the proposed massive museum houses a comparatively miniature collection; that the remainder of the buiding’s space will be let to commercial tenants to [...]
Mexic-Arte Museum: Striking a nerve.
I talk about Mexic-Arte Museum a lot and I always have. I have a long history with the institution, and I will say again that I want them to succeed and always have, and this is part of the reason I have been so vocal about their decisions. I will also say that nothing I [...]
Mexic-Arte Museum: Someone has to say it…
Typically it’s fun to sit back and watch as the art world in Austin continues to grow, gain strength, respect, and generally produce quality art and artists despite its topsy-turvy art organizations that are relatively disconnected from the community. Recently, however, I’ve been alarmed and somewhat embarrassed by what I feel are incredibly unfortunate missteps [...]