Making the mark at MARCO.

• Author: Suro, Federico
• Position: Mexico's Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Monterrey

According to Gertrude Stein, you can be modern or you can be a museum but you can't be both. Mexico's Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Monterrey (MARCO), founded in 1989, has proven the contrary. From its conception, MARCO's aim was to promote contemporary art trends with an emphasis on the visual arts of Mexico and Latin America. While successfully accumulating one of the most important contemporary art collections on permanent display in Latin America, MARCO also provided exposure for young unknown Mexican artists. In discussing their vision, MARCOs founders commented "the scope of the permanent collection will be global but will focus on Latin American art. Once the museum is working on a solid financial base, the collection will be expanded with donations and acquisitions."

Located in the center of Monterrey, the building was designed by Ricardo Lagorreta, a contemporary of the well-known architect Luis Barragan. It has been described as "the museum's first work of art." The austere architecture has an imposing presence reminiscent of a fortress. The museum's interior boasts a luxurious spaciousness coupled with a highly functional design. In addition to exhibition areas, there is a large auditorium, a shop, a restaurant and a cafe.

Last year, MARCO inaugurated its museum with the exhibition "Myth & Magic in the Americas: the Eighties." Of the 62 young artists representing 17 countries from Argentina to Canada, only two were born before 1939. The lively forum demonstrated a rich assortment of post modernist trends.

MARCO's second exhibition, "The Magic of Oaxaca" (El Hechizo de Oaxaca) - celebrating the richness and complexity of this southernmost state -...