Here stands a testament to artistic vision. The Espacio Escultórico is a monumental sculpture park. It invites all to contemplate beauty. This space is part of the cultural heritage of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. It sits in the Centro Cultural Universitario. This is south of Mexico City.
Imagine a circle. This circle spans 120 meters in diameter. Within it lie 64 triangular prisms. These prisms sit on a stone ring. Inside this ring is a sea of lava rock. There is no vegetation. This design encourages contemplation of inner and outer beauty. Sculptor Manuel Felguérez believed it enriches aesthetic vision. It changes the traditional concept of culture. He changes it to that of Espacio Escultórico.
The Espacio Escultórico is a collective work. Artists Federico Silva, Helen Escobedo and Hersúa contributed. Manuel Felguérez, Mathias Goeritz and Sebastián also helped. They were all UNAM collaborators. They were influenced by minimal art. This is seen in the circular stone structure. It holds the 64 prisms. Land art also influenced them. This combined ecology and art. It reproduces a cosmic image of the pre-Hispanic world.
The artists sought to make art a grand event. It was for everyone and forever. This superseded individualistic tendencies. Construction occurred during Guillermo Soberón’s leadership. This was between 1976 and 1981. The location is near Avenida de los Insurgentes and Anillo Periférico. It is within the Reserva Ecológica del Pedregal de San Ángel.
On November 4, 1977, the project began. It was led by Federico Silva and other artists. They shared a love for geometrism. They liked concrete and metal structures. Biologists, geologists and botanists joined. Ecologists, engineers and architects also helped. The project saw art as research. It was an extension of culture. It was a commitment to social reality. The university funded it. Architects Raúl Kobeh Hedere and Francisco J. Montellanos led planning.
Sculptors had to agree on all decisions. By 1978, they approved the circular form. Then came the triangular prisms. The center’s design was debated. On December 1, 1978, Leonel Pereznieto suggested preserving the lava formations.
The Espacio Escultórico opened on April 23, 1979. Sculptures were arranged geometrically. Joaquín Sánchez MacGregor called it a solar clock. He called it a telluric mandala. He said it was a pre-Hispanic ceremonial center of the 20th century. It was born under the sign of unity. It loved change that embraced tradition. This included industrial art and Mexican muralism.
The structure uses the Pedregal’s natural lava. It is enclosed by a circular platform. The outer diameter is 120 meters. The inner diameter is 92.78 meters. The platform has volcanic stone walls. It contains ballast fill for permeability. Wall height varies with the terrain. It ranges from 50 centimeters to 9 meters. The surface is finished with tezontle grain. This maintains permeability and adds color. 64 polyhedral prisms stand on the platform. They have rectangular bases of 9×3 meters. They are 4 meters high. Quadrants divide the modules. They are separated by 1.75 meters inside and 2.67 meters outside. The cardinal points have larger separations. They measure 3.60 meters inside and 4.80 meters outside.
Modules are cemented on a concrete slab. Walls are also of reinforced concrete. Pre-cast concrete beams support hollow cement blocks. All surfaces were coarsely hammered. This gave the texture the sculptors wanted.
Besides the main structure, individual sculptures dot the area. Federico Silva’s “Las Serpientes del Pedregal y Ocho Conejos” is there. Hersúa’s “Ave Dos” stands nearby. Helen Escobedo’s “Coatl”, Sebastián’s “Colotl” and Mathias Goeritz’s “Corona del Pedregal” add to the collection. Manuel Felguérez’s “Variante de la Llave de Kepler” completes the ensemble. The Espacio Escultórico marks a change. Public sculpture was freed from official functions. It became a symbol of artistic expression. It’s a place where art and nature meet.