National Museum of Art

The museum was founded in 1982 as the Museo Nacional de Arte, and re-inaugurated in 2000, after reopening its doors to the public as MUNAL after intense remodeling and technical upgrades to the facility. It currently focuses on the exhibition, study and diffusion of Mexican and international art from the 16th century to the first half of the 20th century. Its permanent collection contains more than 3,000 pieces and has 5,500m2 of exhibition space. One of the many museums housed in beautiful colonial era buildings, MUNAL is a favourite of mine warranting a visit each time I return to DF.  

On this visit, the featured exhibit was called The Modernists, twentieth century art by many of the most well known Mexican and European artists including Rivera, Orozco, Siqueiros, Picasso, Braque, Matisse, Vuillard, Bonnet, Murillo aka Dr Atl, etc.  What struck me most about the show were the pieces by the Mexican muralists that were very unrepresentative of the works they are best known for.  

Diego Rivera is best known for his huge, bold, complex murals with social/political/historical themes:
 






























One wouldn't usually associate him with these sort of works:

Likewise David Siquieros, best known for his big, violent murals:

 




































Not these lovely, sweet portraits:

Jose Clemente Orozco's murals were among the most bold and political:

 




























But he also did this:

And Gerardo Murillo, aka Dr Atl, from this:

To this:

Every Thursday a free film is shown after closing time in a lovely little theatre with big cushy seats.  On this visit, a Tim Robbins film was shown, "The Cradle Will Rock", a star filled kind of messy, hectic film based on a 1937 musical dealing with socialist/communist influences in the arts, and unionism and the rise of the McCarthy era.  An entertaining way to spend the afternoon. I'm looking forward to next week's Luis Buñuel films.