Museo del Objeto del Objeto
Museo Objeto del Objecto | |
 | |
| Director | Lourdes Garduño |
|---|---|
| Curator | Ana Elena Mallet |
| Website | http://elmodo.mx/en/visit and http:lagunillaeditores.com.mx (publishing branch) |
The Museo Objeto del Objeto (Object of the Object Museum or MODO) is the first museum in Mexico dedicated to design and communications. It was opened in 2010 based on a collection of commercial packaging, common devices and many other objects collected by Bruno Newman over more than forty years. The museum is dedicated to preserving the more than 30,000 items from two centuries, and it is dedicated to research in the history of design and communications, the preservation of the collection and promotion of collecting in general. The museum is part of a non profit organization of the same name, headquartered in an early 20th century former mansion in Colonia Roma in Mexico City.
Organization
The Museo Objeto del Objeto (Object of the Object Museum or MODO) is part of a long tradition in Mexico City of collectors who donate their collections in order to found or expand museums. Art collectors and other kinds of collectors have been behind museums such as Soumaya, Franz Mayer, Museo del Juguete and others. Collectors have also been important to the development of state museums in the country as well.[1] The museum is private under a foundation of the same name, which was founded by Bruno Newman, a collector and founder/director of Zimat Communications in Mexico City.[1][2] The museum is one of several efforts in the country to promote and consolidate information about the history and culture of commercial design in Mexico. Museum curator and art critic Ana Elena Mallet works with a number of entities such as the El Palacio de Hierro, Corredor Cultural Roma-Condesa, Galería Mexicana de Diseño and the publication Design Week .[3]
Newman’s collection forms the basis of the museum foundation’s mission, which is to encourage the research and promotion of communication and design in Mexico.[4] MODO is considered to be the first of its kind , with many of its objects not normally displayed in museums in the country.[5] It focuses on the analysis of its collection and similar objects using the principles of design and communications as well as the use of new technologies.[4] The museum is also dedicated to the support of collecting as a hobby, promoting formal arrangement and study of the objects collected.[5] One reason the museum promotes collecting is that very often items related to design and communication are simply thrown away as junk, such as 1980s sneakers and 1970s skateboards.[1]
Work to establish the museum started in 2004, with the inventorying, cataloging and photographing of each of the pieces. The last was done not only for conservation purposes, but also to allow for access to the piece electronically. The building, a former mansion in Colonia Roma, was restored for the museum.[6] The museum was inaugurated in September of 2010. The opening of the museum drew a number of international diplomats, including those from Russia, Guatemala, Haiti and Slovenia.[7] Diplomats were invited to the event because the collection contains objects from various countries outside of Mexico.[8]
La Gunilla Editores is the publishing branch of the MODO organization. It is dedicated to the research and publication of materials related to design and communications. Much of its work complements that of the museum producing books and magazine in both print and electronic forms.[9] Its first eight books include Mexténcil, Calcomanías, Black Book México and Arte Urbe, which relates to graffiti in Mexico as a communication mode. Recorrido con Recordaciones y Encuentros con Conocidos are guidebooks to parts of Mexico and its capital, and El Objeto Insólito, o Solito and Una Gruesa de Colecciones both discuss collecting.[6]
MODO’s gift shop promotes young, mostly Mexican designers to distribute their work. Another line of products are those based on the museum’s permanent collection and temporary exhibits.[6]
The museum offers workshops, seminars, conferences and other activities designed to promote design and communication.[10]
Permanent collection
The museum’s permanent collection is based on the private collection of Bruno Newman, amassed over forty years.[10] Newman began collecting when he was thirteen years old, fascinated by his uncle´s stamp collection. He says it was his first knowledge of other countries.[2] He began collecting by buy five toiletry containers that he liked from the La Lagunilla Market.[8][11] They turned out to be of a brand called Pompei from France made in 1910 and no longer produced.[2] When he placed them on a table in his room, visitors were attracted by them.[8][11] He moved on to old shaving supplies, then to advertisements. He bought things no one else wanted as most collectors wanted old books, colonial pieces and documents. Over the years the collection filled his house, his office and then three warehouses.[2] In the mid 2000s, Newman began the process to found the museum in order that the collection be preserved and studied, especially as it relates to the development of package design, publicity and the graphic arts.[4] The permanent collection is divided into six sections based on theme.[10]
The total collection consists of over 30,000 items which date from 1810 to the present. This collection is too large to be shown in its entirety at the physical museum, so items on display rotate. The first museum exhibit of the collection was a selection of 3,200 pieces entitles “Nostalgia for the ordinary.”[10][1] Most items are related to packaging, especially bottles, advertising and the graphic arts and are from everyday life.[12][4] Other items include presses, some of which are over 100 years old, soda bottles from brands no longer in existence, utensils, cosmetics, food containers, clothing items and domestic appliances. Some notable items include old paper grocery bags from the Sumesa supermarket chain, a beer advertisement from 1890 and commercial packaging from occupied Japan .[4][10][1][6] However, the museum space does not meet international standards of preservation. The collection is a starting point for the museum which aims to be a center of culture, exchange of idea and research for communication and design.[13]
Temporary exhibits and events
The museum holds regular temporary exhibits of items related to its collection and purpose. During its opening in 2010, there was a temporary art exhibit by Carlos Aguirre named “ODA a la Mujer” (Ode to a Woman). The exhibit consisted of five pieces created from phrases from a songbook series called Cancionero Picot. Aguirre selected portions of lyrics from these books, which are in the museum’s collection and include the first published in 1928. The selected lyrics were chosen as being depreciative to women to show misogyny .[10][6]
For Valentine’s Day 2011, the museum sponsored an event encouraging people to hang a padlock on the railings around the building after inscribing the name of their loved one on it. Then they took the key they locked it with and placed it in the museum’s antique mailbox after giving it a kiss. The idea was inspired by the Italian movies Tre metri sopra il cielo and Ho voglia di te where young lovers hung similar locks on a streetlamp and the threw the keys in the Tiber River. The act became popular in parts of Europe with locks being seen in various countries.[14] Collection of collections was the museum’s first major temporary exhibit after its opening, staged as part of the foundation’s mission to promote collecting.[15] The idea was to expand what is worthy of a museum exhibit, focusing on what the museum calls “urban collecting” about everyday objects not necessarily all that old. The idea behind it is that these objects have something to say about Mexican society.[5]
The Collection of Collections consists of seven collections belonging to private hands and one selected from the permanent collection of MODO. It is set up to show the wide range of collecting activities that occur in Mexico. Along with the display, the museum has co sponsored talks and meeting about collecting with academics from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. The total exhibit consisted of over 500 pieces with each collection given its own room.[5] Postcard collection of Carlos Villasana and Raul Torres, who are well known Mexico City collectors. The exhibit only has about sixty of the over 15,000 which include rare ones by famous photographers such as Guillermo Kahlo, Hugo Brehme and Charles B. Waite who documented aspects of Mexico from the late 1800s to the early 20th century.[1] The tennis shoe (dating from the 1980s) and skateboard collections (dating from the 1970s) were arranged by Pablo Romo Molina, director of Street Active Lifestyle magazine. Other collections included toy robots belonging to Barbara Berger, antique lamps belonging to Alexandre Lamaire and hats from the 1920s to 1950s.[1][5] One room included a set of domestic appliances which were part of the original donation to the museum by Newman.[5]
The building
MODO is located in one of only eight buildings classified as [[Art Noveau which still remain in Mexico City. It was built in 1906 and served as a time as Newman’s personal residence.[4][16][2] It is located in Colonia Roma, just west of the historic center on Colima Street, known for its art galleries, restaurants and bars. [16]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Anthony Wright (July 26, 2011). "Mexico City's Modo Museum whets the collecting appetite". Mexconnect. ISSN 1028-9089. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Rima Suqi (February 9, 2011). "A Collector of Everyday Objects On His New Museum in Mexico City". New York Times. New York. p. 27.
- ^ "Ana Elena Mallet". Excelsior (in Spanish). Mexico City. January 21, 2011. p. 17.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|trans_title=(help) - ^ a b c d e f "¿Qué es el Museo del Objeto del Objeto? Abrirá este sábado". Milenio (in Spanish). Mexico City. October 20, 2010. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d e f "Abre el Museo del Objeto del Objeto la muestra Colección de colecciones con más de 500 artículos de la vida cotidiana" (in Spanish). Mexico: CONACULTA. May 19, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d e "Abre sus puertas el MODO, primer museo dedicado a las expresiones del diseño y la comunicación" (Press release) (in Spanish). CONACULTA. October 21, 2010. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
{{cite press release}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ RSVP Staff (January 21, 2011). "Cosas del Pasado". Excelsior (in Spanish). Mexico City. pp. 4–5.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help); Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c Lukaz Sute (January 21, 2011). "Recuerdo Internacional". Reforma (in Spanish). Mexico City.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help); Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ "La Gunilla Editores" (in Spanish). Museo Objeto del Objeto. 2010. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f "Inauguran Museo dedicado al diseño gráfico y la comunicación". Milenio (in Spanish). Mexico City. October 22, 2010. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Collecionista de Corazón". Gatopardo (in Spanish). Mexico City. January 21, 2011. p. 21.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ "Its collections". Museo Objeto del Objeto. 2010. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
- ^ Maria Eugenia Sevilla (March 8, 2011). "Un museo para el diseño y la comunicación". Hábitat (in Spanish). Mexico City. p. 72-73.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ "Cuelga tu candado del amor en la Roma". El Universal (in Spanish). Mexico City. February 9, 2011.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ "Recuerdos Colectivos". Gatopardo (in Spanish). Mexico City. July 20, 2011. p. 82.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "The space". Museo Objeto del Objeto. 2010. Retrieved August 14, 2011.