Tamayo, Oaxaqueño Universal

Text and photos: Askari Mateos
A large group of people came to the opening at the Museo de los Pintores Oaxaqueños (MUPO) of an exhibit of 60 original works by the greatest of all Oaxacan artists to give new generations the opportunity to get to know his work.

The exposition, Rufino Tamayo, oaxaqueño universal, which was inaugurated on the 14th. of October is composed of 20 works from the Rufino Tamayo collection of the Museo de Arte Moderno (MAM); 40 works from the collection of José F. Gómez, from the Instituto de Artes Gráficas de Oaxaca (IAGO), and 13 black and white photographs, by Rogelio Cuéllar.

Rufino Tamayo, oaxaqueño universal brings to all the opportunity to experience the works of one of the greatest artists of the last century as shown by the prices his works demand at auction. Last year his oil Claustrofobia was sold in Paris for one million one-hundred and sixty-five thousand dollars, one of the highest prices for a Latin American work of art, and not all Oaxaqueñans have had the opportunity to view it.

The organizers don’t want the works to stay in the museum; one of the essential goals of this project is to make copies of the works from the MAM collection, with the authorization of the heirs, to take them on an itinerant exhibit to 22 towns in the eight regions of the state. Therefore, the works will gravel to Guelatao, Tuxtepec, Juquila and Tehuantepec, among others.

At the same time there will be children’s painting workshops in 20 communities, which will be given in the indigenous languages and in which the children will work on 30 works in a grand format based on and inspired by the work of the Oaxacan master and there will also be graphics and drawing workshops at the MUPO.

The well known author Andres Henestrosa will be writing a book of Oaxacan memories at the end of the year, and the painter, Francisco Toledo will be doing his part by designing a catalogue of the works from IAGO.

Juan Alcazar Mendez, director of the MUPO, pointed out that the main goal of the exhibit is to reach out with the traditional paintings of Tamayo to those generations which have not had the chance to experience it closely.

He also said that with the support of the State Government, they will seek to have some Tamayo work on loan and later try to purchase it outright.

At the same time he also announced that Laura Gonzalez Matute and Carlos Monsivais will be giving conferences and will be calling a music contest called Las músicas dormidas, one of Tamayo's best known works, and the winning composition will be presented in December 2006, as another of Tamayo’s little known facets was his delight in music.

The painting Las músicas dormidas (1950) had previously inspired Mexican composer, Mario Lavista, to compose a work for clarinet, bassoon and piano.

On her behalf, Laura González opened the possibility that this particular painting, which is a part of the MAM collection, could be given on loan to the state of Oaxaca, “As long as a work of similar value is given in return”.

The more than 60 works that form the exhibit Rufino Tamayo, oaxaqueño universal will remain at the MUPO until the 10th. of January of 2006.