ANDREW RUSSETH
After a major earthquake struck Mexico yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, September 19, authorities are searching for survivors and communication remains limited in many places. At this time of writing, more than 200 have died from the quake, which had its epicenter 100 miles from the Mexican capital.
ARTnews has reached out to various museums, galleries, and arts organizations to better understand how they fared. This post is being continuously updated with details about how the earthquake has impacted the Mexican art world.
— Tuesday, September 19, 11:45 p.m.: According to several tweets, one of which was reposted by its official Twitter account, the Museo Nacional de Arte (MUNAL) has suffered minor damage to its facade. Rubble appears to have fallen onto the street below the museum, though for the most part, the museum’s exterior seems largely unscathed. MUNAL closed earlier today after the quake, but has not yet said whether it will reopen today.
Daños leves en Museo Nacional @MUNALmx luego del sismo pic.twitter.com/R0QxBg4CRR
— CHRISTIAN UZIEL (@CHRISTIAN_UZIEL) September 19, 2017
— Tuesday, September 19, 11:45 p.m.: Through its Twitter account, the Museo Tamayo announced that it will remain closed tomorrow.
— Wednesday, September 20, 8:40 a.m.: The Museo Soumaya, the private museum of Carlos Slim, has reported through its Twitter account that all appears to be well at the institution following the quake.
— Wednesday, September 20, 2 p.m.: Several Mexico City–based galleries have sent announcements to their mailing lists showing support and solidarity for all those affected by the earthquake. ProyectosMonclova, Lodos, and Joségarcía, mx galleries called upon the international art community for donations to Topos, an organization founded in the wake of a devastating earthquake in Mexico City 1985 to rescue victims buried in debris. Lodos canceled the opening of its exhibition “Nunca Godo | Diego Salvador Rios,” originally scheduled for Friday. Joségarcía, mx postponed the opening of its new location in Mexico City and an exhibition, on Rometti Costales, both scheduled for Friday. Kurimanzutto postponed the opening of an Anri Sala show until further notice and also called for donations to Topos and the Mexican Red Cross. Donations for Topos can be made securely through PayPal with this email: donativos@brigada-rescate-topos.org topos.org.mx or via wire transfer to Santander 92000709294 CLABE 014180920007092942
— Wednesday, September 20, 4 p.m.: According to several galleries involved, the forthcoming Gallery Weekend CDMX has been canceled. The weekend-long event, which takes its name from the common abbreviation for Ciudad de México, was to include 35 participating galleries, including OMR, Galería Karen Huber, Labor, Travesía Cuatro, and House of Gaga, starting Thursday.
— Friday, September 22, 1:45 p.m.: House of Gaga gallery made it out of the earthquake unscathed, although many buildings in its neighborhood were not so lucky. “Our neighborhood (Condesa) was one of the most affected neighborhoods in Mexico City with an eight-story residential building collapsing just three buildings down the street while a few more across the street are in risk of collapse,” gallery cofounder José Rojas wrote to ARTnews. “Our block and the ones next to us were evacuated Tuesday and still are. The gallery has no electricity or gas. Our building luckily has not been affected by the quake and will probably resume normal activities Monday. Experts visited today and there is no risk whatsoever in our building, whose construction dates back to 1929.”