Suddenly, a geometric puzzle looms before us. This is Museo Jumex. It is more than just a building. Museo Jumex is a space where contemporary art comes alive in Mexico City.
Eugenio López Alonso owns Colección Jumex. It is a private art collection. Museo Jumex houses this collection. The museum is the main outpost of Fundación Jumex Arte Contemporáneo. David Chipperfield designed the building. It opened in November 2013. The museum’s main goal is to boost contemporary art in Mexico. It wants to encourage discussion and knowledge.
The Museo Jumex collection has about 2,800 works. You will see pieces by Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol. Gabriel Orozco and Cy Twombly are also featured. Jeff Koons and Marcel Duchamp are among the artists too. It is one of Latin America’s most important contemporary art collections.
Eugenio López Alonso bought his first piece of Mexican art in 1994. That year, he cofounded Chac Mool Gallery. This marked the start of Fundación Jumex Arte Contemporáneo. López wanted to share his love for art. He was less interested in simply collecting objects.
Throughout the 1990s, López Alonso studied contemporary art. He researched how to build a collection. He wanted to support artists of his generation in Mexico. López Alonso created Fundación Jumex with art experts. They aimed to promote contemporary art. Their programs included collecting, education, research, and funding for artists and museums.
From 2001, López Alonso’s collection was shown publicly for the first time. This happened at Galería Jumex. Gerardo García designed this 15,000 sq ft space. It was on the Grupo Jumex juice plant grounds in Ecatepec de Morelos. The location surprised some in the art world. However, López Alonso believed this experimental space would help contemporary art in Mexico.
Museo Jumex opened in November 2013. It is an institution dedicated to contemporary art. Its goal is to serve a broad public. It also aims to be a laboratory for arts innovation. David Chipperfield Architects designed the building. The exhibition space spans 17,000 sq ft. It is part of Plaza Carso. This mixed-use area includes a shopping mall. Museo Soumaya is across the street. The design responds to its surroundings. It uses local materials. The museum has public spaces for meetings and leisure. These enhance the visitor experience.
The curators report directly to López because the museum operates without a board of directors. Patricia Martín was chief curator from 1997 to 2005. Patrick Charpenel held the role from 2005 to 2015. Julieta González served from 2015 to 2020. Kit Hammonds is the current chief curator, starting in 2020.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the museum made all offerings free. This included family programs. A 2023 retrospective of Jannis Kounellis drew over 250,000 visitors.
Currently, Museo Jumex features Gabriel Orozco’s exhibition, “Politécnico Nacional”. This is the artist’s first museum show in Mexico since 2006. Briony Fer curated the exhibition. It includes about 300 works from Orozco’s career.
David Chipperfield, the British architect, designed the building. He won the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2023. This was his first architectural work in Latin America. The architecture responds to its local context. It uses domestically sourced materials. The building stands out while contributing to its surroundings. It is near Museo Soumaya and Teatro Cervantes.
Spaces are spread across five levels. The ground floor houses art storage and administrative offices. It also features social spaces like a multi-use hall and a bookstore. Exhibition galleries occupy levels 1, 2, and 3. The top floor gallery uses natural light thanks to its sawtooth roof. An open lobby on level 1 offers views of the city. It serves as a forum for activities. The basement gallery features Martin Creed’s “Work No. 1051, 2010”. The entire structure sits on an elevated platform. This merges the ground floor with the public plaza.
Travertine marble clads the building. The structural matrix creates a constant rhythm. This gives the building a monolithic feel. The facade has large rectangular openings. These provide excellent views of the city. The sawtooth roof brings natural light into the upper-level galleries. Concrete and travertine marble are the main materials.
As you leave Museo Jumex, consider its role. It is a vital space for contemporary art. It fosters creativity. It encourages dialogue in Mexico City and beyond.