Museo Dolores Olmedo
The Museo Dolores Olmedo is located in the La Noria district of Xochimilco in Mexico City . Among other things, it houses the largest private collection of works by the Mexican artist couple Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo .
background
The Mexican businesswoman and art patron Maria de los Dolores Olmedo y Patiňo Suarez (* December 14, 1908, † July 27, 2002 in Mexico City) met Diego Rivera as a child and was later friends with him until his death. It also appears in some of his paintings. At Rivera's request, Dolores Olmedo also bought paintings by his wife Frida Kahlo, whose works became known to a larger circle for the first time. Before his death, Rivera employed Olmedo as an asset manager and director of his Anahuacalli museum (in San Angel) and of the Casa Azul (the birth, death and temporary home of Frida Kahlo).
In 1962, Olmedo acquired the site of the former hacienda La Noria with building ruins from the 16th century, which she had restored and in some cases converted into exhibition rooms that could accommodate her increasingly extensive collection. Olmedo bequeathed her collection to the Mexican people during his lifetime. The museum and the surrounding garden have been open to the public since 1994, even with no entry fee on Tuesdays. Her house is also located there; the private rooms can also be visited since her death.
Permanent exhibition
In addition to the numerous works by Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, the permanent exhibition also includes works by the Russian-French painter and sculptor Angelina Beloff , with whom Rivera had a long relationship during his time in Paris. Examples of Mexican folk art are also shown, from woven fabrics to ceramics and colorful trees of life to costumed skeletal figures that play an important role, especially on the day of the dead . Even pre-Columbian art objects can be viewed. In the private rooms, you can see furniture, decorative items (made of ivory, porcelain, china lacquer) as well as various photographs and family pictures.
The garden
In the artfully landscaped garden there are numerous sculptures and an enclosure for Xoloitzcuintle dogs. Several peacocks roam freely on the site.
Cultural event
In addition to temporary exhibitions by local artists, the museum regularly offers other cultural events such as concerts and (folk) dance. Every year an altar is traditionally set up in the museum for the day of the dead on November 1st.
Web links
- www.museodoloresolmedo.org.mx (English, Spanish)
- www.freitag.de
Coordinates: 19 ° 15 '55.3 " N , 99 ° 7' 29.2" W.