Mexico City: Day 3
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Here's a view of the house and studio buildings from the San Angel Inn parking lot. The pair of structures were designed by Juan O'Gorman in 1931. It was amongst the first modernist structures in Mexico City. -
Rivera's studio (foreground in red) is connected to Kahlo's (in blue) via a bridge on the roof. The buildings themselves reflect a strong debt to Le Corbusier in their rational form, the fact that they're raised up on pilotis, and the use of the roof as a fifth facade. -
I particularly liked that a fence was done away with in favor of a wall of cacti. Though European modernism is alive and well here, there are so many perfectly Mexican touches, like the use of color and flora, that make it a thoroughly Mexico City building. -
Here's a glimpse of the bridge from the Rivera studio over to the Kahlo side. At the moment the larger Rivera structure is filled with objects from their lives and works, while the blue building is a working gallery. -
Here's a view of the Rivera side from across the bridge. Moments after I snapped this photo a guard came out and told me to come back to the other side. There's not much of a railing where I was standing and the last thing he wanted was a splattered American on the courtyard below. -
Here's a drawing by Rivera hung on one of the walls. It was in a small bedroom. -
The most impressive space was in the red structure and was this double-height studio space. It was full of puppets, sculptures and the materials the pair must have used in their art making. -
I could not get over these massive paper-mache people. They looked like they must have been used in some procession. -
Here you can see into the nook off the main space. A painting by Rivera is shown as well as some shelves for the his collections of dolls and other crafts. -
These beautiful green chests held loads of ceramics, some of which appeared to be pre-Hispanic. -
Diego's typewriter. Easier to imagine him thundering his orders, but I expect he must of put a few to paper. -
This little side table was next to a small bed. It has all manner of cases and keys on it including a holster for a pistol. -
A drawing of O'Gorman's building. Note that amazing concrete spiral staircase off the one facade. -
After my time at the studio and house I headed over to the San Angel Inn, which served up some of the most amazing food I've had. The sopa Azteca was a highlight of the trip. -
The gorgeous hacienda was no slouch itself. Wandering around in search of the bathroom was never so exciting. -
I ate on the patio out front with some new pals, but those eating inside the courtyard got a special treat. Though these photos get at some of the beauty of the place, they don't reflect its size. The gardens out back are enormous and there are probably eight additional dining rooms all made up in what felt perfectly 18th century Mexican. The structure was turned into a hacienda in 1776.
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Mexico City: Day 4
My fourth and final day in Mexico City was a real treat: the perfect blend of making a few new friends and finally clapping eyes on a building that feels like an old pal.
Mexico City: Day 1
On Thursday I headed down to Mexico City for four days of sheer design tourism. Things got underway that night with a molecular gastronomy feast the Polanco restaurant Oca. Parsley foam, man.
Mexico City: Day 2
My second day of design tourism in Mexico City was as good as the first, in no small part because I had what may have been the best meal of my life at the restaurant Pujol.
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