The Museo Cabeza de Juárez (English: Head of Juárez Museum) is a museum and monument in Iztapalapa, Mexico City. The top of the structure features a colossal head of Benito Juárez, the 26th president of Mexico. Luis Echeverría, the 57th president of the country, ordered its erection in 1972 – a century after Juárez's death – and it was inaugurated on 21 March 1976, the 170th anniversary of Juárez's birth. The museum's collection features the chronology of Juárez's life, and its esplanade is open for cultural events. Artists Luis Arenal Bastar and David Alfaro Siqueiros were involved in its construction and artistic style.
Luis Echeverría ordered the erection of a monument to Benito Juárez in 1972.[1] The selected space was a roundabout along Guelatao Avenue[a] in Iztapalapa, Mexico City.[3] Architects Lorenzo Carrasco Ortiz and Miguel Ramírez Bautista designed the civil work.[1] Meanwhile, David Alfaro Siqueiros was hired to paint murals on the walls, but his health began to deteriorate and he died in 1974.[4]Luis Arenal Bastar, Siqueiros's brother-in-law, replaced him and additionally sculpted the colossal head with help of Carrasco Ortiz.[1][5]
After its inauguration, the sculpture ceased to receive federal support and fell into decline.[6] It was not until 2000 that it received its first major restoration by the government of the city,[7] where the plinth was transformed into a museum.[8] Following the earthquake of 19 September 2017, the museum received minor damage and the subsequent maintenance cost two million pesos. During the process, signs of corrosion and various bullet impacts were found.[9]
The plinth-transformed-into-museum is 12.38 meters (40.6 ft) high, 15.95 meters (52.3 ft) wide and 6.09 meters (20.0 ft) deep.[4] The external walls are painted with abstract murals.[10] They were inspired by the murals Estampas de Guerrero by Arenal and the Mural Cuauhtémoc contra el mito by Siqueiros.[3] The head sculpture weighs 6 metric tons (5.9 long tons; 6.6 short tons) and is 13 meters (43 ft) high.[4][9] Iron sheets were used to sculpt the concrete.[9] The head originally would have had a neck and shoulders, with channels to protect it from the accumulation of water.[1] Inside the museum, there is a collection with the chronology of Juárez's life, as well as some works by Siqueiros, Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and Rufino Tamayo.[10] Its esplanade is open for cultural events and the roundabout has a size of 64,732 meters (212,375 ft).[11]
Receptionedit
Close-up of the head
Art critic Alberto Híjar Serrano [es] said that the sculpture is "an exaltation to the patriotic sense of the liberals and their importance in the construction of modern Mexico".[3] Writer Carlos Monsiváis considered it "guillotined par excellence, horrible and terrible".[1] The head commonly appears on lists of the country's ugliest sculptures.[5][12] In a 2017 poll, 27.76 percent of voters rated it the ugliest in the city.[13] The head inspired the pictogram of the Guelatao metro station of the Mexico City Metro, which is the closest to the museum.[14] Blogger Tamara De Anda named it one of the system's worst pictograms.[6]
^ abcdeRamírez Bautista, Francisco Miguel (January 2020). "La Cabeza de Juárez, un proyecto olvidado en la Ciudad de México" [The Cabeza de Juárez, a forgotten project in Mexico City]. Arqueología Mexicana (in Spanish). from the original on 20 June 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^"Así es Guelatao, el poblado de Oaxaca donde nació Benito Juárez" [This is Guelatao, the town in Oaxaca where Benito Juárez was born]. El Heraldo de México (in Spanish). 20 March 2021. from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^ abc"La Cabeza de Juárez, el monumento que inició Siqueiros pero la muerte le impidió terminar" [The Cabeza de Juárez, the monument that Siqueiros started but death prevented him from finishing]. Reporte Índigo (in Spanish). 23 February 2020. from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^ abc"Cabeza de Juárez: las curiosidades que no te sabías" [Cabeza de Juárez: curiosities you didn't know about]. Chilango (in Spanish). 4 February 2021. from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^ abCamarillo, Abigail (2 June 2021). "¿Estos son los monumentos más 'feos' de la CDMX?" [Are these the 'ugliest' monuments in Mexico City?]. Chilango (in Spanish). from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^ abDe Anda, Tamara (2 February 2017). "Un vistazo a la Cabeza de Juárez" [A glance at the Cabeza de Juárez]. máspormás (in Spanish). from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^Ruiz, Eduardo (2 February 2021). "Cabeza de Juárez de Iztapalapa: Con drones revisan estructura" [Iztapalapa's Cabeza de Juárez: Drones are used to review structure]. Uno TV (in Spanish). from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^Velázquez Yebra, Patricia (7 April 2001). "Cabeza de Juárez, museo por un día" [Cabeza de Juárez, museum for a day]. El Universal (in Spanish). from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^ abcIsrade, Yanireth (26 January 2021). "Rescatan 'Juárez' de Siqueiros" [Siqueiros's 'Juárez' restored]. El Norte (in Spanish). Mexico City. from the original on 4 July 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^ ab"Museo Cabeza de Juárez" [Cabeza de Juárez Museum]. La Verdad de Tamaulipas (in Spanish). Iztapalapa. 23 February 2020. from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^Guzmán, Sheila (28 July 2017). "La escultura más fea de la CDMX: La Cabeza de Juárez" [Mexico City's ugliest sculpture: The Cabeza de Juárez]. Debate (in Spanish). from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^Cruz López, Jesús (14 September 2021). "Ya de una, 5 horribles esculturas que merecen ser derribadas junto con la de Colón" [Once and for all, 5 horrible sculptures that deserve to be demolished along with the Columbus sculpture]. Cultura Colectiva (in Spanish). from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^"Cabeza de Juárez, ¿la "más fea"?" [Cabeza de Juárez, the 'ugliest'?]. El Universal (in Spanish). 27 July 2017. from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
Media related to Cabeza de Juárez at Wikimedia Commons
"Cabeza de Juárez Monument and Museum". At the Official Guide to Mexico City.
December 18, 2023
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The Museo Cabeza de Juarez English Head of Juarez Museum is a museum and monument in Iztapalapa Mexico City The top of the structure features a colossal head of Benito Juarez the 26th president of Mexico Luis Echeverria the 57th president of the country ordered its erection in 1972 a century after Juarez s death and it was inaugurated on 21 March 1976 the 170th anniversary of Juarez s birth The museum s collection features the chronology of Juarez s life and its esplanade is open for cultural events Artists Luis Arenal Bastar and David Alfaro Siqueiros were involved in its construction and artistic style Museo Cabeza de JuarezThe museum in 2020Location within Mexico CityEstablished21 March 1976 1976 03 21 LocationIztapalapa Mexico CityCoordinates19 22 57 7 N 99 02 20 6 W 19 382694 N 99 039056 W 19 382694 99 039056Public transit accessGuelatao metro stationWebsitesic gob mx museo cabeza de juarez Contents 1 History and construction 2 Reception 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksHistory and construction editLuis Echeverria ordered the erection of a monument to Benito Juarez in 1972 1 The selected space was a roundabout along Guelatao Avenue a in Iztapalapa Mexico City 3 Architects Lorenzo Carrasco Ortiz and Miguel Ramirez Bautista designed the civil work 1 Meanwhile David Alfaro Siqueiros was hired to paint murals on the walls but his health began to deteriorate and he died in 1974 4 Luis Arenal Bastar Siqueiros s brother in law replaced him and additionally sculpted the colossal head with help of Carrasco Ortiz 1 5 After its inauguration the sculpture ceased to receive federal support and fell into decline 6 It was not until 2000 that it received its first major restoration by the government of the city 7 where the plinth was transformed into a museum 8 Following the earthquake of 19 September 2017 the museum received minor damage and the subsequent maintenance cost two million pesos During the process signs of corrosion and various bullet impacts were found 9 The plinth transformed into museum is 12 38 meters 40 6 ft high 15 95 meters 52 3 ft wide and 6 09 meters 20 0 ft deep 4 The external walls are painted with abstract murals 10 They were inspired by the murals Estampas de Guerrero by Arenal and the Mural Cuauhtemoc contra el mito by Siqueiros 3 The head sculpture weighs 6 metric tons 5 9 long tons 6 6 short tons and is 13 meters 43 ft high 4 9 Iron sheets were used to sculpt the concrete 9 The head originally would have had a neck and shoulders with channels to protect it from the accumulation of water 1 Inside the museum there is a collection with the chronology of Juarez s life as well as some works by Siqueiros Diego Rivera Jose Clemente Orozco and Rufino Tamayo 10 Its esplanade is open for cultural events and the roundabout has a size of 64 732 meters 212 375 ft 11 Reception edit nbsp Close up of the headArt critic Alberto Hijar Serrano es said that the sculpture is an exaltation to the patriotic sense of the liberals and their importance in the construction of modern Mexico 3 Writer Carlos Monsivais considered it guillotined par excellence horrible and terrible 1 The head commonly appears on lists of the country s ugliest sculptures 5 12 In a 2017 poll 27 76 percent of voters rated it the ugliest in the city 13 The head inspired the pictogram of the Guelatao metro station of the Mexico City Metro which is the closest to the museum 14 Blogger Tamara De Anda named it one of the system s worst pictograms 6 Notes edit Guelatao Oaxaca was Juarez s birthplace 2 References edit a b c d e Ramirez Bautista Francisco Miguel January 2020 La Cabeza de Juarez un proyecto olvidado en la Ciudad de Mexico The Cabeza de Juarez a forgotten project in Mexico City Arqueologia Mexicana in Spanish Archived from the original on 20 June 2021 Retrieved 3 July 2022 Asi es Guelatao el poblado de Oaxaca donde nacio Benito Juarez This is Guelatao the town in Oaxaca where Benito Juarez was born El Heraldo de Mexico in Spanish 20 March 2021 Archived from the original on 21 March 2021 Retrieved 3 July 2022 a b c La Cabeza de Juarez el monumento que inicio Siqueiros pero la muerte le impidio terminar The Cabeza de Juarez the monument that Siqueiros started but death prevented him from finishing Reporte Indigo in Spanish 23 February 2020 Archived from the original on 3 May 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 a b c Cabeza de Juarez las curiosidades que no te sabias Cabeza de Juarez curiosities you didn t know about Chilango in Spanish 4 February 2021 Archived from the original on 3 May 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 a b Camarillo Abigail 2 June 2021 Estos son los monumentos mas feos de la CDMX Are these the ugliest monuments in Mexico City Chilango in Spanish Archived from the original on 3 May 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 a b De Anda Tamara 2 February 2017 Un vistazo a la Cabeza de Juarez A glance at the Cabeza de Juarez maspormas in Spanish Archived from the original on 14 June 2021 Retrieved 3 July 2022 Ruiz Eduardo 2 February 2021 Cabeza de Juarez de Iztapalapa Con drones revisan estructura Iztapalapa s Cabeza de Juarez Drones are used to review structure Uno TV in Spanish Archived from the original on 2 February 2021 Retrieved 3 July 2022 Velazquez Yebra Patricia 7 April 2001 Cabeza de Juarez museo por un dia Cabeza de Juarez museum for a day El Universal in Spanish Archived from the original on 20 December 2016 Retrieved 3 July 2022 a b c Israde Yanireth 26 January 2021 Rescatan Juarez de Siqueiros Siqueiros s Juarez restored El Norte in Spanish Mexico City Archived from the original on 4 July 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 a b Museo Cabeza de Juarez Cabeza de Juarez Museum La Verdad de Tamaulipas in Spanish Iztapalapa 23 February 2020 Archived from the original on 18 June 2021 Retrieved 3 July 2022 Guzman Sheila 28 July 2017 La escultura mas fea de la CDMX La Cabeza de Juarez Mexico City s ugliest sculpture The Cabeza de Juarez Debate in Spanish Archived from the original on 3 May 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 Cruz Lopez Jesus 14 September 2021 Ya de una 5 horribles esculturas que merecen ser derribadas junto con la de Colon Once and for all 5 horrible sculptures that deserve to be demolished along with the Columbus sculpture Cultura Colectiva in Spanish Archived from the original on 25 May 2022 Retrieved 3 July 2022 Cabeza de Juarez la mas fea Cabeza de Juarez the ugliest El Universal in Spanish 27 July 2017 Archived from the original on 18 April 2021 Retrieved 3 July 2022 Guelatao in Spanish Sistema de Transporte Colectivo Metro Archived from the original on 31 March 2022 Retrieved 31 May 2022 External links edit nbsp Media related to Cabeza de Juarez at Wikimedia Commons Cabeza de Juarez Monument and Museum At the Official Guide to Mexico City Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Museo Cabeza de Juarez amp oldid 1163092506, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
