ART MUSEUMS in Merida

ART MUSEUMS - The MACAY & The Olimpo

The MACAY Museum of Modern Art by Mexican artists has a lovely green central courtyard with a few sculptures, a main level gallery  which I never found the access to, and a second story with gracious balcony off of which were individual air conditioned rooms that an attendant opens for you and closes behind you.  I am not sure if this is for the comfort of the visitor, or for better preservation of the art, possibly both.  

Generally a room would be dedicated to one artist, although there were walkways between some rooms that had multiple styles of exhibits. 

The lighting was rather low in lumens, but that seems to be a factor throughout Mexican buildings.  Electricity is relatively expensive here, I am told, especially if one uses much air conditioning, and lights are far from bright. 

You enter up a grand stairway to the second floor rooms off the wide balcony of arches overlooking the courtyard.  There is a massive central painting in the center of the staircase beckoning you to mount them. 

I am presenting here a pictorial sampling of some of the art styles, but will not give artist’s names because I did not note them, except as shown. 

Detail

I went to college in Boston and lived a few blocks from the Museum of Art, which I visited often.  The MACAY cannot compare in size to art museums of Boston or New York City, but visiting was an enjoyable way to get out of the heat.  

Class Trip to the MACAY

 Olimpo Cultural Center

Across the Zocalo from the Macay, tucked into a corner of the main Square is the Olimpo Cultural Center. It's within a historic building but has some modern architectural upgrades mixed with classic arches inside.  It also has an auditorium and theater and presents various exhibitions and presentations. 

Currently The Olimpo has been showing a Frido Kahlo Exhibit, which I was excited to see, but found rather disappointing as far as the art went, because it was so limited.  Mostly the Exhibit was a marvel in Graphic Art, with photos of Frido blown up large and mounted, and less about her art.  There were only a few small pieces of her primitive style art.

 

Frida Kahlo is one of Mexico's best known artists, in case you are unaware of her work.  It is surprising that she has become so famous, given her simplistic style, but I find that rather encouraging for the beginning artist!

Because the Olimpo was closed between 2 and 3pm, which was when I arrived, I went looking for a cafe to take some late lunch.  Mexicans tend to focus on one main a meal per day, eaten around 2pm.  If they have leisure time, they can nap after that through the heat of the day, arising ~4 or 5pm and generally have drinks or snacks later in the evening.  The expats have a different schedule with dinner out in the evening when the air is cool and the sun has long set, sometimes followed by entertainment after 9pm.