Here stands Ave Dos. What does this orange, abstract, geometrical shape convey to you? Ave Dos resides within the Espacio Escultórico, a unique space near Mexico City’s southern edge. The pedregales surround it. These stony grounds are volcanic stone fields. The Xitle volcano’s eruptions created them.
In 1979, sculptor Federico Silva’s brainchild, the Espacio Escultórico, was inaugurated. It contains six sculptures plus one representing the park. These sculptures enhance the volcanic landscape.
The Central Campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM, houses Espacio Escultórico. Since 1952, the campus has been historically significant. It hosted the 1968 Summer Olympics. It saw a student strike from 1999 to 2000. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 2007.
Espacio Escultórico is a giant ring of triangular stone prisms. They encircle a frozen sea of lava. This Land Art was conceived by six important Mexican sculptors. Federico Silva proposed it in 1977. His idea was to position visual arts and geometric sculpture within a natural environment.
The Pedregal de San Ángel Ecological Reserve provides a natural setting. The space invites contemplation within this setting. Ave Dos is just one part of this larger artistic vision.
Other sculptures in the Espacio Escultórico include “Las Serpientes del Pedregal y Ocho Conejos.” Federico Silva created this dark series of nested triangular figures. Helen Escobedo’s “Coatl” features offset square outlines in warm colors. Sebastián’s “Colotl” is a large, metallic, electric blue scorpion. Mathias Goeritz’s “Corona del Pedregal” presents five long, thin, pink pentagonal pyramids. Manuel Felguérez’s “Variante de la Llave de Kepler” is a multi-colored, metallic, abstract figure.
The ring representing Espacio Escultórico has a 393-foot outside diameter. It is topped by 74 massive stone prisms. These represent a pre-Columbian worldview. The undisturbed pedregal landscape is at the center.
The UNAM Sculpture Space marked a shift in public art. It freed sculpture from its official function. The Sculpture Space creates a place for meditation. It allows contemplation of nature and the cosmos. It also hosts musical gatherings and cultural events.
Each artist also created individual works, forming the Sculpture Walk. The contrast between nature and contemporary art is visible.
The UNAM Sculpture Space design draws inspiration from pre-Hispanic concepts. These relate to cosmogony and astronomical architecture. The circular layout symbolizes time’s cyclical nature. It reflects the eternal repetition of cosmic cycles.
The complex includes 64 rectangular-based, pyramid-shaped volumes. Each measures 9 x 3 meters with a height of 4 meters. They are arranged on a platform 13.61 meters wide. The interior diameter is 92.78 meters. The exterior diameter reaches 120 meters.
Since its 1979 inauguration, the Sculpture Space has welcomed thinkers. They interpret the site through human creativity and nature. The Space fosters discussions about environmental conservation. It sparks conversations about cultural identity. It also probes the transformations caused by urban expansion. It invites reflection on artistic efforts and ecological awareness. Espacio Escultórico aspires to bridge the past and present. It lets contemporary art engage in dialogue with tradition. So, what does Ave Dos tell you about this dialogue?