Linda Yablonsky declares Museo Jumex’s opening weekend the party to end all art parties:
When the international art world descends on Mexico City, Contramar becomes its exclusive club. At the risk of sounding like the Palm Beach Daily News’s Shiny Sheet, I can report that every table was seated with a different claque. Lisson Gallery’s Alex Logsdail and Angela Brazda snagged an outdoor table to catch the eye of everyone else going in. Dealer Gordon Veneklasen surrounded himself with Angelenos Rosette Delug, Wendy Stark, and Waldo Fernandez. Pérez-Rubio was tête-à-tête with Lorena Jáuregui, director of FONCA (Mexico City’s Fondos de Arte Contemporáneo). Noe Suro commanded a group that included Zwirner director Bellatrix Hubert, Kaplan, Massey, and artist Oscar Murillo, while Contramar’s indefatigable Gabriela Cámara presided over it all as if it were just another day at the ranch. […]
Here, the true measure of art-world regard for López and his grant-making foundation became visible. On hand were the entire board of the New Museum and part of MoCA LA’s—López is an active member of both—as well as directors or curators from the Hammer, the Nasher, the Guggenheim, LACMA, and MoMA PS1; dealers from seemingly everywhere; collectors Michael Chow, Thea Westreich and Ethan Wagner, Jennifer McSweeney, Alan Hergott, Maria Arena Bell; and artists including Anri Sala, Thomas Demand, Adam McEwen, Anne Collier, Lari Pittman and Roy Dowell, as well as Danh Vo, who just moved to Mexico City. Before the evening was out, many in the crowd who had sampled the local cuisine, the architecture, the warm weather, the cheap real estate, and the beautiful people were thinking of doing the same. “Omigosh,” exclaimed Alex Israel. “There’s Paulina Rubio!”
