A true brutalist work of architecture (a nice follow up after the Brutalist exhibit I had just gone to)- the building shines as an expression of the technology of concrete in it’s more minimalist forms- the thin vertical planes as a wall, the cantilevered slabs of stairs. What I appreciated most was three fold. First was actually the texture in the concrete itself- it helped to give a character to the building. Second was the open format of the building- there’s a large atrium with various offshoots of exhibition spaces that are interweaved together through large cutouts in the walls to see across spaces. In fact, not sure I really encountered a door. Third was the amount of light in the spaces as a result of latter. These combined together created a lightness in experience of the concrete construction, which so often with brutalist buildings can feel heavy and grounded instead.
In my previous post on one of the trio of buildings I visited on this day, I mentioned the inbetweens. There is nothing more that I remember about Museo Tamayo than this corner above- I’m working on not asking why as much anymore and just listening to whatever intuition there is. Visually, I know I saw the almost perfect perspective of the diagnol of the square ceiling panes, to the lightbox coming through the window, further accentuated by the square floor pattern. It was a moment where I could see it in 2D almost better than in 3D.
With purpose, I walked to the window to find what I discovered was a little memorial to Tamayo (the door is on the opposite side of the glass in the photo)- I felt like I was being led to a secret portal. I’ve been reading on and off about synchronicity and this moment was indeed one to make note. What of our lives will impact others? But not in a direct cause and effect way because the universe is too complicated as expressed by the theory of synchronocity. In the end, I pray for faith and belief that what I can do to be of service, I will.
It’s a beautiful atrium, there’s no doubt. It’s lovely to see people taking pause in a space like this because even if they don’t know it- space affects us all: “It is on the space where there is nothing that we discover the utility of what is not”.
Because it was Art Week, much of the outside was covered over for a big event. If I get the chance, I would to return to walk the perimeter and reflect on it’s purpose.
Evidently designs for a new one: https://www.archdaily.com/22625/new-tamayo-museum-rojkind-arquitectos-and-big
Website: Museo Tamayo write up
ofallthespaces 