El Mito de dos Volcanes.
Popocatépetl, Iztaccíhuatl, 2005
Palacio de Bellas Artes, México

This exhibition at the Palacio the Bellas Artes gathered 300 works from a wide variety of fields, showcasing the influence that the two volcanoes, Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, have had from pre-Columbian to Contemporary times, in the creative production of Mexico.

The trigger of this exhibition was the myth and legends elaborated around the two emblematic volcanoes that highlight Mexico City’s skyline. Iztaccíhuatl, shaped like a sleeping woman, and Popocatépetl with a pyramidal form, are the eternal shakespearean lovers that found union in death.  They play a protagonist role in the popular culture of Mexico and have been the object of study for scientists, inspiration for artists, poets, writers and illustrators, and motive of devotional practices related to agricultural cycles.

The richness and diversity of the visual, written and ritual production around this two figures, made this project one of the highlights of my curatorial work.  As the Popocatépetl is an active volcano and its activity significantly increased since 2000, the scientific point of view broad the spectrum of the material for exhibition.  It turned out to be one of the most diverse interdisciplinary projects I’ve worked in, opening a dialogue between artists, scientists, anthropologists, poets, writers, shamanic traditions, and even children from the communities around the volcanoes.