“The murals in restaurants are on par with the food in museums.” Peter De Vries, American editor and novelist

We joined the American Society of Jalisco on their cultural outing to MUSA (Museo de las Artes Universidad de Guadalajara). The museum was already on our agenda, but this was to be a guided group tour with about 30 fellow Americans, most living in Guadalajara.

Their current exhibition of masterpiece works by the Mexican triumvirate of muralists: ​“Orozco Rivera Siqueiros​, La Exposición ​Pendiente”​ (The Pending Exposition) … also, “Construyendo Puentes en Época de Muros” (Building Bridges in an Era of Walls). Both exhibits are rooted in deep Mexican nationalism, but decades apart in the artworks.

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Walk through the front doors of MUSA’s historic building and head straight into the university’s original auditorium. There, behold the magnificent murals by famed muralist and painter, ​José Clemente Orozco​. They were painted in 1935-1937 onto the concave ceiling/dome and the stage walls of the intimate, elegant room. They’re another incredible example of an Orozco masterwork of political theatre.

It’s presented here with an underlying theme of Mexico’s leaders keeping the masses oppressed by not educating them as represented with blank books; additionally, there’s the many facets of science as portrayed by the scientist shown with five heads – all looking in different directions. We sat mesmerized in this beautiful, wood-paneled and crystal chandelier auditorium straining our necks looking up at the vivid and detailed murals. You feel small sitting beneath the powerful imagery.

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We headed into the main exhibition, called Pendiente or Pending, reflecting the fact that the original gathering of these artworks was to be displayed in Chile back in 1973. In September of that year, everything was all set and ready for its inauguration at the Chilean Fine Arts Museum in Santiago. However, the exhibit never saw the light of day because two days before opening, the country experienced the beginning of one of its bloodiest periods … with the U.S.-backed coup led by Augusto Pinochet, which overthrew the democratic government of President Salvador Allende.

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That art exhibition, “Orozco, Rivera, Siqueiros: Mexican Painting,” finally opened in Chile in 2015, 42 years later after being canceled in 1973. Here, in Guadalajara, the collected works show the extraordinary brilliance of the three artists. This exhibition included paintings, prints, drawings, photos, documents and audiovisual material in their respective artist’s salon. It showed a concise representation of each and how their work intersected and influenced one another.

​Orozco, Rivera​, Siqueiros … are best known for their promotion of Mexican mural painting starting in the 1920s; generally with social and political messages as part of efforts to reunify the country under the post-Mexican Revolution government. From the ’20s to about 1970, a large number of these type murals were created on public buildings; starting a tradition that continues to this day in Mexico. It’s impact extended to other parts of the Americas, including the U.S., where it served as inspiration for the Chicano art movement.

​José Clemente Orozco​ (1883 – 1949)

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Diego Rivera (1886 –1957)

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David Alfaro Siqueiros (1896 – 1974)

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“Building ​ Bridges in Times of Walls”​ brings together a multigenerational selection of works made by Chicano artists; who analyze the links that unite them with the two cultural roots they represent. Building bridges emerged during the 60s in the US; with the Chicano movement challenging the stereotypes that the Anglo-American population had about the inhabitants of Mexican origin.

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During our visit, four different ladies from the tour group approached David with each telling him that he looked like Mike Bloomberg (or younger version thereof)! Initially, he was taken aback, not having heard this before. But with the sudden rise of Mike, and with the possibility of his going all the way … one lady actually demanded a souvenir photo; making this lookalike a quasi celeb. Go figure. I see sunglasses and baseball caps in David’s future.

We like to maximize trips into Guadalajara with multiple purposes. David wanted a shopping excursion to Fantasias Miguel, the Michaels crafts stores of México. A four story pleasure palace for the Pinterest crowd. Floor after floor, aisle after aisle, I trailed David as a lovely, young saleswoman followed, holding our overflowing cart of purchases, much of which will find its way into our upcoming “Easter 2020 Version 2.0” decorations.

A visit to El Centro Histórico de Guadalajara mandates the requisite dining stop at ​La Chata​ (with well over 2,400 reviews!). The bustling restaurant (since 1942), features its female cooks in their white Handmaiden uniforms, busy as a colony of bees, dishing out plate after plate of plentiful food. Young male waiters rush about in their neon green shirts serving the hungry, waiting patrons. Our choices: Milanesa de Cerdo for David and monstrous sized Chicken Taquitos for me.

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I awoke on Valentine’s Day and laying on top of my laptop was one of the most beautiful, handmade cards David has ever created. Our V’Day celebration ~ a leisurely day at home without the commercial hoopla. David continued his creativity with baking a SweetTart Lemon Turmeric Cake – a perfect pucker up pleasure.

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​On the Menu …​ White Bean Chicken Chile; a Shrimp Stir Fry (my take on Chinese food – something I terribly miss – next trip to LA going straight to Chinatown’s Yang Chow); David’s fully loaded Chopped Salads, a daily masterpiece; Grilled Salmon with an avocado relish; breaded huachinango (red snapper) served with ​chimichurri​, accompanied with couscous and roasted asparagus and for Oscar Night Dinner grilled lobster.

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