Tickets to get into the Frida Kahlo museum in Coyoacan are a hot commodity. We learned this the hard way during our first two visits to Mexico City, when we could not get in. Several weeks ago, I purchased tickets for 10a entry (the opening time) to the museum. Today is our day.
We hopped in an Uber to get to Coyoacan. As usual, traffic was brutal. We arrived at a nearby coffee shop to grab a couple of double cortados, then we walked to the museum. There were already a dozen people in line ahead of us, and the doors opened immediately at 10a.
The blue house, as it is known, does not look like much from the outside, but it is awesome from the inside. An open, airy, natural place. No wonder it was much loved by Frida and her family.
The museum has some important art pieces, great photos, some wonderful explanations, and artifacts from Frida's life.
Everywhere you go in Mexico City (and for that matter throughout Mexico), Frida is an icon. She is by far the most celebrated and famous Mexican artist, and along with Diego Rivera, the man she married twice, they are perhaps the most impressive power couple in the history of art.
Frida's life was a struggle, as she was sick with polio, and as a teenager was in a debilitating accident that caused her extreme pain for the rest of there life. Her life was a series of painful experiences, both physically and emotionally, that helped define her as a person, and define her art.
The museum focused not just on her life and art, but her influence in the world of politics, society and fashion. There was an entire section that contained pieces from her wardrobe.
Not only one of the 20th century's most impressive artists, her life and personality encapsulated Mexican society. We are thrilled that we had a chance to visit this most important museum.
Now on to Museo Anahualcalli. This is a masterpiece museum of Diego Rivera's incredible collection of ancient artifacts. Frida used to complain that Diego spent all his hard-earned art money on acquiring ancient works of art. It is all on display at this architecturally masterful museum.
While the building and surrounding complex are so impressive, so is the art inside. It features ancient artifacts, modern sculptures, and even some of Diego's drawings for his massive murals.
OK. Enough with the museums. Time for lunch. We exited from the museum, and walked a few hundred meters down the road to find a gem of a local restaurant. The food was fantastic and the staff was so friendly. One of our best lunches so far.
We had read that there was an ancient ruins site in the middle of the city, so we hopped in an Uber to visit Cuicuilco. This is a very ancient site, with a huge pyramid surrounded by bustling Mexico City neighborhoods.
There is a small museum that discusses the ancients. But it is best observed by simply walking around this massive structure.
Just down the road from this ancient site is a collection of modern sculpture. The Ruta de la Amistad is a series of modernist, abstract sculptures along the roadside. We saw only a handful of the 19 sculptures before we had to call it quits for the day.
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