Here are some important art news that occurred in July 2023:
1. The National Museum of Colombia celebrates its 200th anniversary
The National Museum of Colombia, created in 1823 and recognized as one of the oldest in the Americas, celebrates its 200th anniversary, 200 years in which its 17 permanent exhibition halls have disseminated the most representative artistic, historical and archaeological expressions of Colombia.
On July 28, the Museum’s history was celebrated through a list of activities and cultural events:
An extended night was held in more than 20 museums and cultural institutions in Bogota, which kept their doors open simultaneously from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Inside the National Museum, activities were also planned throughout the day: starting at 10:00 a.m., there was a day of stamping, so that participants could take home souvenirs of the bicentennial of the National Museum on bags, T-shirts or any garment. Also, throughout the day, the exhibition “El Vuelo de El Mochuelo. From the Montes de María to Bogotá”.
The Museum also presented the first National Museum Award, an incentive of COP $60,000,000, to promote projects related to museum activities. Then, a day of music.
2. Season of Art documentaries in Cine Colombia
Cine Colombia Alternativo begins a new cycle of an exciting series of documentaries inspired by outstanding exhibitions featuring impressive large-format productions focusing on the life and work of Johannes Vermeer, Edward Hopper, Mary Cassatt, Paul Cézanne, and the captivating artistic expression of Tokyo.
All of these will be presented in the country’s main cities every weekend through Cineco Alternativo, the platform from which Cine Colombia presents cultural content such as opera, ballet, theater, cinema and concerts.
3. Exhibition at El Dorado Airport
The artist Manuela Echeverri exhibits “Raíces” (Roots), an exhibition that narrates the feeling of Colombia, at the international airport of Bogota. It consists of 225 images distributed in 75 air conditioning ducts, located at the international pier, the domestic pier and check-in points, among other areas of the airport; these images are accompanied by a sound experience of stories that reflect on these territories.
These works are intervened photographs of emblematic places in Colombia such as Cartagena, Necoclí, Tumaco and the Amazon.
For Manula Echeverri, the reason we travel is directly related to the sensory experience of the journey, “with that permanent reminder that we have walked, with the beating of our chest as we experience the unknown and with the new and inspiring views that travel brings to life.
4. Van Gogh and Frida in Colombia
Colombia will fill several of its event halls with immersive and sensory experiences of two of the most recognizable artists in the world: Vincent Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo.
At Unicentro, in Bogotá, the immersive biographical exhibition of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is being presented for the first time.
From July 6 through September 5, visitors will have the opportunity to immerse themselves and explore in depth the most iconic works of the renowned Mexican artist, such as “The Wounded Deer” or the one dedicated to Doctor Eloesser, as well as her self-portraits and the precious “Frida’s Diary”, a treasure jealously guarded for decades and barely known by a few, which reflects the last 10 years of the artist’s life.
The immersive experience Beyond Van Gogh, which has traveled to hundreds of cities around the world, was also announced in several cities in the country, such as Bogota, Cali and Medellin.
The exhibition creatively presents more than 300 works of art by the Dutch painter, including some of his most iconic works such as The Sunflowers, The Starry Night and The Yellow House.
5. Preparations for the Jumex Museum’s anniversary in Mexico
During the last decade, the Museo Jumex has held and presented more than one hundred exhibitions, consolidating a solid public program that has left a deep impression on thousands of visitors around the world.
Since this month, an exhibition is being prepared to commemorate the Museum’s 10th anniversary, which will feature works from the Museum’s archives and more than 70 artists. The title given to this one is: Everything Gets Lighter.
As the cornerstone of the Fundación Jumex Arte Contemporáneo, founded by the philanthropist, art collector and president of the foundation, Eugenio López Alonso, the Museo Jumex has gained international recognition thanks to its dual purpose: to introduce works by renowned international artists to Mexico and to highlight the work of contemporary Mexican and Latin American artists. To celebrate its anniversary, Museo Jumex will hold a full-scale exhibition of works from the Jumex Collection curated by Lisa Phillips, accompanied by a commemorative book published by Rizzoli International Publications.
