Every good Mexican knows, or at least should know, the work of the so-called "big three" painters and muralists of the twentieth century. Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros. These guys are cornerstones of the development of art in our country and its famous murals have been reminders of our history and a symbol of our patriotism for decades.
But not everything from these masters are monumental paintings or famous priceless pieces. Among their vast work are small gems that very few people have had the pleasure of seeing. Lithographs, pencil drawings, metal engravings and small watercolors are also a large part of Mexican cultural history of the last century. This was what Alvaro Carrillo Gil and his wife Carmen knew when they started a collection of little-known Mexican art.
It’s impressive to enter an unassuming three-story building with excellent modern architecture and run into Mexican classics rubbing shoulders with pieces from colossal maestros that are on display in the best museums in the world. The MACG collection consists of 1,775 pieces, of which 1,417 belonged to the Carrillo Gil family until their donation to the federal government in 1974. Many other artists join the aforementioned and contribute with other works that describe the day-to-day of Mexican society over the last 200 years.
To top it off, the museum offers various temporary exhibitions of emerging artists with the purpose of spreading new ways to appreciate contemporary Mexico. Without a doubt, the MACG is a precious little jewel, well kept in the heart of Mexico City’s south side.