Must-See Mexico City Gallery Shows This Summer

Spending the summer in Mexico City is always wonderful, if you can forget that you’re there during peak rainy season. Rain aside, you can spend days exploring the best neighbourhoods on foot, lounging in the many parks that dot and surround the Mexican capital, or taking in some gallery shows.

Mujer Maravilla y el Poder de la Creatividad, MUMEDI

Until August 31 you can catch the fascinating Wonder Woman and the Power of Creativity (Mujer Maravilla y el poder de la creatividad) exhibition at the excellently curated MUMEDI (Museo Mexicano de Arte y Diseno). It’s not a gallery exhibition in the classical sense; there will be numerous objects on show that depict the world of Wonder Woman. For any fan of the franchise or the recent film this Mexico City summer exhibition is a must-visit.

Andy Warhol: Estrella Oscura, Museo Jumex

Andy Warhol is one of the world’s most well-known artists, revered for his pop-art style and fascinating life. This Mexico City summer exhibition at the Museo Jumex details the techniques and themes that marked his work, whether it was about soup tins or celebrities, consumption or utopia. The works have been curated from institutions around the world, such as the Guggenheim and NYC’s MoMA, especially for this exhibition, making Estrella Oscura entirely unmissable for Warhol or pop-culture fans.

Vivan las Mujeres, Centro Cultural de España

For some impactful art, make your way to the Centro Cultural de España this summer in Mexico City for the Vivan las mujeresexhibit. This powerful collection of artworks and musical or literary installations, which has already been displayed in Buenos Aires, was created by Mexican artist Violeta Hernández, Dulce Chacón, and writer Valeria Luiselli amongst many, many others, and represents the perilous situation of women across the world in the face of femicide, the killing of women for being women. It runs until August 13.

Rufino Tamayo: Éxtasis del Color, Museo de Arte Moderno

Museum

Up until August 27 you can enjoy the incredible Rufino Tamayo: Éxtasis del colorexhibition in the Museo de Arte Moderno, which includes a number of works from famed Oaxacan artist Rufino Tamayo. This was the site of his first solo exhibit way back in 1964, and Tamayo’s works are now making a reappearance to mark the anniversary of 26 years since his death. Thirty-four pieces from the museum’s own archives will be on display at Éxtasis del color,as well as several other exemplary artworks from the Museo Rufino Tamayo and private collections.

FORMASOBREFONDO, Proyectos Monclova

Art Gallery

Proyectos Monclova, one of Mexico City’s most forward-thinking and well-curated contemporary art galleries of the moment, is playing host to the exhibition FORMASSOBREFONDO this summer. Up until September 2 you can see this fascinating collection of 44 pieces of artwork, which questions the relationship between form and content, formalism and conceptualism, from emerging names such as Ana Bidart of Uruguay and Brazilians Paulo Monteiro and Mauro Piva.

Tenemos Todo Menos Miedo, Celaya Brothers Gallery

After being assaulted in a bakery around the corner from her house, Laura Meza Orozco, the brains behind the Celaya Brothers Gallery exhibition Tenemos todo menos miedo,decided to create a collection of artwork to help demonstrate the play and leisure that should find their places even in fear. Everyday objects and food stuffs make their way into this art-as-protest exhibit, which champions humour as the coping method for crises. It runs until August 12.

Carne y Arena, Centro Cultural de Tlatelolco

A virtual-reality installation created by two of Mexico’s finest cinematic minds, Emmanuel ‘el Chivo’ Lubezki and Alejandro González Iñárritu, Carne y Arenais the unique exhibition you didn’t know you needed this summer in Mexico City. Launched at the Cannes Film Festival, it can now be found in the Centro Cultural de Tlatelolco from July 2, and focuses on real-life stories from Mexican and Central American migrants trying to cross the border to the USA. An immersive sensorial experience, Carne y Arenais unmissable.

Picasso y Rivera: Conversaciones a Tráves del Tiempo, Palacio de Bellas Artes

Building

More than 100 individual pieces make up this excellent temporary exhibition at Mexico City’s Palacio de Bellas Artes, all of which explore the mutual influence Diego Rivera and Pablo Picasso had upon one another’s artwork. Coincidences and differences are highlighted and showcased through the pieces, which arguably mirror the artists’ sometimes fraught personal relationship: Rivera was a student of Picasso, but later accused him of plagiarising.

About the author

Lauren Cocking

Northern England Writer

Yorkshire-born food, drink and travel writer based out of Mexico, you can find my work at Nat Geo, CNN, Extra Crispy and OZY, amongst other publications. Everything Mexico is my niche, but I also dabble in spewing my unsolicited opinions about teabags and pork pies. Find more of my work at northernlauren.com.