Hidden behind a screen of trees stands Edificio B Facultad de Química. Its unassuming exterior belies a fascinating story. This building part of the vast UNAM campus was completed in 1952. Architects Fernando Bárbara Zetina Carlos Solórzano and Félix Tena designed it. Edificio B originally housed the School of Veterinary Medicine.
Look closely at the north facade. There you’ll find it an enigmatic mural. Students nicknamed it “Las amibas” or “The Amoebas”. This abstract masterpiece is unique. It’s the only abstract mural among the original murals on the central campus. The artist remains anonymous. No records exist detailing its creation. This anonymity adds to its mystique.
Aldo Solano an art historian investigated the mural’s origins. He found it peculiar. The mural isn’t directly attached to the building’s wall. It functions as a panel masking the entrance. This makes it more than just decoration. Its abstract nature contrasts with the other more figurative murals on campus. Many details are absent. This makes the mural “very special”. The lack of information fuels speculation. Some believe Guatemalan artist Carlos Mérida created it. His style features abstract figures and geometric perspectives. The mural’s design resembles Mérida’s work at the Ciudad de Guatemala Community Center.
However Solano notes that by 1952 Mérida’s style had evolved. It no longer resembled the mural’s style. The absence of a signature is also noteworthy. Official murals of the time carried strong revolutionary messages. This mural’s abstraction contrasts sharply. It challenges the prevailing artistic norms. The mural’s quiet presence makes it one of Ciudad Universitaria’s most mysterious artifacts. The building and its hidden artistic gem reveal a small but important chapter in UNAM’s history.