In the Museo de Arte de Ciudad Juárez

In the Museo de Arte de Ciudad Juárez

The 30 sculptures by Cynthia Gutiérrez
only approximate pedestals
in their irregular shapes. 
Glowing ghostly white under the skylight, 
they aspire to support objects.
But anything placed on them would roll off like so many marbles.
They are nothing but mirrors of themselves.

The “suits” of Alejandro Almanza Pereda’s 
“The Suit Makes the Man”
hang on the surrounding walls gracefully 
despite being made from concrete.
They are so obviously unsuited for use:
Does this make the meaning of the work
more or less concrete?

Stepping outside, I notice
a chip in the building’s concrete facade:
you can see right down to the rebar.
It’s only been 60 years since the museum was built
but I find myself taking photos 
as if documenting a site 
that’s already been abandoned.

Back in the museum lobby, 
I show the guard my cellphone pics. 
He points out my shot of the black dog 
laying in the sun on the sidewalk.
He pulls up an image of that same dog
on his cellphone.
“That’s Blackie,” he says with a smile.
 “She’s crazy.”

Outside the Juárez City Art Museum, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua State, Mexico

Inside the Juarez City Art Museum: sculptural work by Cynthia Gutiérrez (center) and Alejandro Almanza Pereda’s wall hanging work in center background

Left to right: work by Cynthia Gutiérrez in foreground and work by Alejandro Almanza Pereda in background; first signature of the day (October 19, 2023) in the guestbook, “Preludio 1” by Cynthia Gutiérrez, and “Preludio” series by Cynthia Gutiérrez