The Mexican Fine Arts Center Musuem is featuring a new exhibit called The African Presence in Mexico, from Yanga to the Present. This exhibit is excellently curated, the range of work, from photography to paintings to clothing, was all purposeful to the exhibit and extremely wrenching work. In particular, the range of work could feel chaotic save for the muted green walls painted throughout the many rooms. The exhibit begins with paintings depicting the caste system in 16th Century Mexico, portraits of people who possess the qualities of the group they belong to, based on social and racial terms. Also featured are sculptures of Yanga, whose muscled arm is held high in revolution. Right in the middle of all this is a small scale display of a villiage in Mexico which resembles the huts and housing styles found in Africa.
The next room holds one of the most haunting images and is worth the trip alone to the MFACM. A soldier at the turn of the nineteenth century is surprisingly a woman, fighting in the revolution after her husband's death. Also, documentary style photographs of villagers are perusal worthy. The next room holds more photographs, though time is passing, and shows the re-integration of African descended citizens back into normal Mexican culture. A stunning nude of a woman shows her glistening skin. The next room moves more into mulitmedia and more of the fifties and sixties in Mexico. A couple of outfits are on display and several celebration are told in paintings and one is featured via video on a large projection screen. This is the first room where the colors associated with Mexico, bright bold colors marked by crisp ruffles of white, become prominent. Some small toys and objects are also on display.
Continuing on, more post modern paintings depict everyday life in Mexico, with colorful splashes of pastels. Yet it is the final room that leaves the largest impression on the visitor, simply due to what feels like a mix of artists trying to explain their roots and finding the answers don't match what they see in the mirror. Amazing paintings, almost mural or graffiti like, mixed media sculptures like the old knives covered in comics from the newspaper, it feels like one has stepped into a madhouse of ideas, and yet, the search for identity unites the pieces together.
How spectacular that the MFACM has once again paired history and artwork together to tell a story as profound as the lives of Africans in Mexico, that is completely accessible to all. The exhibit is open until September 3rd, so there's no excuse not to see it. And admission is free!
The Museum is located at 1852 West 19th Street, Chicago, IL 60608 in the Pilsen/Little Village communities. Museum Hours [10 AM - 5 PM Tuesday - Sunday] 312.738.1503 www.mfacmchicago.org