“Ethos of Transfiguration” by artist Francisco Guevara, Arquetopia

Museo Universitario Casa de los Muñecos, BUAP and Arquetopia Foundation, in celebration of its 15th anniversary, invite you to the opening reception of ““Ethos of Transfiguration”.

The contemporary art and Spanish colonial art exhibition “Ethos of Transfiguration” by artist Francisco Guevara, curated by art historian Dr. Alejandro Julián Andrade, at the Museo Universitario Casa de los Muñecos BUAP, presents the preciousness of cochineal red as a thread weaving together stories that seem to have been forgotten. Focused on the complex legacy of the Society of Jesus, the exhibition also addresses the patronage of Don Melchor de Covarrubias and the humanistic and scientific mission of the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla. It is an artistic and material journey through carmine, a natural pigment that not only transformed Spanish Colonial painting but also became a cornerstone of the global colonial economy, profoundly influencing color technologies and art in Europe.

The artworks included contextualize the use of carmine, particularly through Puebla’s ordinances, and explore the political-religious tensions tied to the history of the Jesuits and the artistic and intellectual elite they cultivated over several centuries. “Ethos of Transfiguration” establishes a philosophical and material dialogue through contemporary pieces employing diverse artistic techniques such as feather work, textiles, marquetry, tempera painting, silverwork, and 17th- and 18th-century paintings, contrasting the unique brilliance and movement of cochineal. This exhibition not only pays tribute to the artistic and cultural legacy preserved by the BUAP but also invites the viewer to explore their own history through color.

Gallery Opening Information:

The exhibition opens on November 28,2024 at 1:00 pm at Museo Universitario Casa de los Muñecos, Calle 2 Nte 2, Centro histórico de Puebla.