Why does this roundabout feel so charged? This is the Glorieta de las Mujeres que Luchan. It is also known as the Roundabout of Women Who Fight. The Estatua Mujer Modernismo stands here.
The Estatua Mujer Modernismo marks a space of protest. It demands justice for violence against women in Mexico. This country is often ranked among the most unequal and hostile for women.
Let’s delve into the Estatua Mujer Modernismo’s story. The roundabout once honored Christopher Columbus. His statue stood here since 1887. But in 2020, before an anti-Columbus Day protest, the city removed it. They said it was for restoration.
Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum later declared the Columbus statue would not return. Instead, a monument honoring indigenous women would take its place. This project was called Tlalli. It proposed a sculpture by a non-indigenous male artist. He drew inspiration from Olmec colossal heads.
Feminists objected. They felt the sculptor was unsuited to honor indigenous women. So, they installed their own design on the plinth. This was the first Estatua Mujer Modernismo.
The Estatua Mujer Modernismo was not meant to be permanent. The installers said the city could choose a design. But they should rename the traffic circle. They wanted it called Glorieta de las Mujeres que Luchan.
Since then, feminists have held events here. They honor women fighters and supportive men. They memorialize names on the protective fences. They installed a clothesline to denounce injustices. The original wooden statue was replaced with a steel one. This is the Estatua Mujer Modernismo you see today.
Sheinbaum wanted to replace the Columbus monument. She wanted a replica of The Young Woman of Amajac. This would mean moving the Estatua Mujer Modernismo. Feminists opposed this unless their demands were met.
In February 2023, Sheinbaum declared both statues would coexist. The Columbus statue would move to a museum. Her successor, Martí Batres, relocated the replica project. It went to an adjacent traffic island. So, the Estatua Mujer Modernismo remains.
The Estatua Mujer Modernismo is more than art. It links art, memory, and public space. It makes us think about violence. It highlights memory’s role in response.
The Estatua Mujer Modernismo stands for change. It shows public institutions need to do more. It calls for an end to discrimination. It is a reminder that equality is possible. Collective action can achieve it.
Remember the Estatua Mujer Modernismo. Remember its message. It is a call for justice. It is a tribute to women who fight. It is a symbol of hope for a more equal future.