Inspiration Thursday: National Museum of Mexican Art

Last Saturday, my husband headed down to Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood to visit a textile outlet (which is closed Saturdays – oops!), eat some delicious Mexican food, and check out the National Museum of Mexican Art. PS: They have no admission fee!

So much of the work was so incredible that I just *had* to share some of the pieces. Some of these are made with teeny tiny beads on wax, feathers, reclaimed wood, and dyed reeds. Next time you’re in Chicago, you should really check out this remarkable museum.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll have seen these pics as they were posted. 

The New Awakening by Santos Motoaopohua de la Torre de Santiago
made with about a zillion chiquira beads in campeche wax

By Luis Guillermo Olay Barrientos
made with dyed reed and varnish on wood

Santiago Apostolic Matamoros by Luis Olay
made with feathers

nude with calla lilies by Luis Olay
made with feathers

The Worm by Miguel Linares Mendoza
made with cartoneria (traditional Mexican type of paper mache – made with cardboard and a type of newsprint, rather than paper)

The Visionary II by Einar and Jamex de la Torre
made with glass

The Garden of Earthly Delights by Ruben Ortiz-Torres
A customized tractor lawn mower with hydraulic systems, gold-plated chain steering wheel, metal flake candy paint and low rider rims!

This is one of the coolest pieces of art I’ve seen in person.

From the National Museum of Mexican Art’s website:

Juan Ángel Chavez (b.1971, Chihuahua) creates large-scale interactive installations and temporary environments. Compiled of wood scraps and found debris, his multifaceted structures highlight the contemporary urban landscape, the natural world, and our human impulse for survival. NEPTUNO presents Chavez’s latest constructed environment, an unassuming passageway that metaphorically connects two unraveling worlds.

I ended up visiting the museum just in time, too! Neptuno’s exhibition ended on Sunday the 8th, and I’m really excited that I got to experience this amazing piece in person.