The Museo de Arte Moderno (MAM) in Mexico City will be celebrating the birth centenary of Enrique Echeverría Vázquez, a Mexican painter and printmaker, with a major retrospective exhibition. The exhibition, which will run from September 16 to December 18, 2023, will feature over 100 works from Echeverría’s career, including paintings, prints, and drawings.
Echeverría was born in Mexico City in 1923. He studied at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (ENAP) in Mexico City, and he was a founding member of the Ruptura movement, a group of artists who broke with the traditional Mexican muralism movement in the 1950s.
Echeverría’s work is characterized by its bold colors, its geometric shapes, and its playful sense of humor. He was a master of printmaking, and he often used this medium to explore social and political themes.
The MAM retrospective will be the first major exhibition of Echeverría’s work in Mexico City in over 20 years. It is a timely opportunity to revisit the work of this important Mexican artist, and to celebrate his centennial birthday.
The Exhibition
The exhibition will be divided into four thematic sections:
Early Works: This section will feature Echeverría’s early paintings and prints, which date from the 1940s and 1950s. These works show the influence of the Mexican muralists, as well as the beginning of Echeverría’s own unique style.
Ruptura: This section will focus on Echeverría’s work as a member of the Ruptura movement. These works are characterized by their bold colors, their geometric shapes, and their playful sense of humor.
Social and Political Themes: This section will explore Echeverría’s use of printmaking to address social and political themes. These works include the famous “Manifesto” series, which was published in 1968 in response to the Tlatelolco massacre.
Later Works: This section will feature Echeverría’s later paintings and prints, which date from the 1970s to the 1990s. These works show the continued evolution of Echeverría’s style, and they explore a wide range of themes, including love, loss, and the human condition.
The Catalogue
A 200-page catalogue will accompany the exhibition. The catalogue will include essays by leading scholars on Echeverría’s work, as well as a complete catalogue raisonné of his prints.
The Education Program
The MAM will offer a variety of educational programs in conjunction with the exhibition. These programs will include lectures, workshops, and guided tours. The programs are designed to appeal to a wide range of audiences, including students, art lovers, and the general public.
The Exhibition’s Significance
The MAM retrospective is a significant event in the Mexican art world. It is the first major exhibition of Echeverría’s work in Mexico City in over 20 years, and it is a timely opportunity to revisit the work of this important Mexican artist. The exhibition will also help to introduce Echeverría’s work to a new generation of art lovers.
Conclusion
The MAM retrospective is a must-see for anyone interested in Mexican art. It is a major event that will celebrate the centennial birthday of Enrique Echeverría, and it will showcase the work of one of Mexico’s most important artists.
