Sarah Selvidge
"As
a first year history doctoral student, my goals
for my trip to Mexico were to define the scope
of my project, and to make contacts at libraries,
archives, and with specialists in my field.
So far, my time in Mexico City and a short
trip to Guadalajara have been inspiring. I
have spent time reading over old magazines,
getting great materials at the second-hand
bookstores on Calle Donceles and meeting with
art historians, art critics and curators as
well as spending time with friends.
My project incorporates the arts and cultural
policy, but also aspects of urban planning and concepts of modernity
and modernization. In Guadalajara,
the Instituto Cultural Cabañas
was showing an exhibition
of the artist Mathias Goeritz. In addition to
a number of public sculptures,
Goertiz (along with the architect Luis Baragán)
also designed
the iconic Torres de Satélite,
five concrete towers that mark the
beginning of Ciudad Satélite,
a 1958 urbanization on what was then the
outskirts of the city (pictured at right), just
one example of the boom of architecture and planning that gave
Mexico City its modern look.
Although I have been to Mexico City many times,
I am always impressed by the sheer magnitude of the city. I have enjoyed
visiting neighborhoods
like the Escandón and Mixcoac.
The Escandón not only has great street names like Prosperidad and Progreso,
it also has many
dairy stores selling delicious fresh cheese.
Mixcoac is one of the many areas that used to be outside the city
and was even a summertime getaway. Many Mexico City residents built summer
retreats in Mixcoac, the remains of which give the area a tranquil
feeling.
I
also got a chance to get out of the city one
weekend. My friend and I traveled to her family’s
ranch in Atlacomulco in the State of Mexico to
tend her organic vegetable farm. On the way,
we stopped at Concepción de los Baños,
which has arguably the best tortillas
in the country. They are still made by hand
from the local corn and are almost pink in
color. We also happened upon a beautiful church
with lovely ceiling decorations and arrived
just in time to hear the ringing of the bells.
It was good to escape the bustle of the city, but
I look forward to spending more time in Mexico
City in the next phases of my research."
