Saturday, November 12, 2005

Churches, architecture and public art in Guadalajara

Probably one of my very favorite things about Guadalajara is the massive amount of accessible, public art and the beautiful architecture. We walked a lot. First, the churches…there’s a church on every corner in Guadalajara. Seriously. There’s a ton. The Catholics really got a toe-hold in Mexico as they plundered across the country. But the buildings they built (or had the people build while they directed) are really incredible. Here are a few…
church found by accident
main cathedral inside

Muralist José Clemente Orozco left his mark in several places in Guadalajara. This one-handed artist believed in “art for the people” and painted his work in public places to ensure accessibility and visibility. In the government building is this historical mural in a staircase….
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But Orozco’s most amazing work is visible at Cabañas Cultural Institute, sometimes called the "Sistine Chapel of the Americas." We spent quite a lot of time here just taking it all in. Inspiring.
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Information about Guadalajara’s murals are here.

And then there’s just fun public art (and tons of it)…
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And beauty…
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