Saturday, October 24, 2009

The Charms of Chapingo....


Housed in this beautiful building on the campus of Chapingo Agricultural University is a real treasure, namely the Capilla Riveriana which contains some of the most stunning murals ever painted by artist Diego Rivera. The murals painted between 1924 and 1927 document the social struggles endured by the Mexican peasants through Revolution, agrarian reform, and the necessity to incorporate scientific advancement in the cultivation of the land...

The murals are also a hymn to Nature, the Earth, as well as Pre-Hispanic culture in Mexico, and the indigenous traditions of cultivation. The building was one of the original structures of a Jesuit hacienda from the colonial period, and the Rivera murals transformed what was once its religious chapel...


Don't think, however, that the Chapel is the only place to appreciate artistic creativity in Chapingo!! Take a trip to the tiny local market which, set up under hot fluorescent pink awnings, wins my prize for the best artistic stacking anywhere in Mexico...and believe me there is plenty of hot competition!!

Have you ever seen such beautiful creative arrangements of fruit and vegetables in any market?

And what about all that sheer colour as a true sensory feast for the eyes?

Chapingo is located very close to Texcoco just 35 minutes from Mexico City. Take a Texcoco bus from Tapo bus station for just 25 pesos and you are there...Enjoy!! For more windows on the world click here for My World Tuesday postings.

14 comments:

Jen Laceda | Milk Guides said...

Ooh! Is the University in Chapingo where Diego Rivera first Frida Kahlo? Anyway, I'd love to his Dieg's work!!! And yes, I do agree that the market has the most creative displays of fruit!

EJ said...

oh my, those fruits looks mouth watering. Thank you for commenting on my first SSS entry.

By the way, I am trying to generate some support for our daughter. We entered her into a Smile Contest, and was wondering if you could please vote for her (just once), the contest runs until October 31st. Your vote would be so much appreciated.

To cast your vote, please go to this link. Please look for Jillian Rylie Cottrill.

Thank you very much!

A Cuban In London said...

You might consciously or unconsciously highlighted one of the most ignored areas of artistic endeavour. That of the market seller. I love fruits and vegs displays in markets. People are so imaginative when it comes to displaying their wares. You captured that beauty so well.

By the way, as a Cuban, if I was to show the title of your post to another Cuban we would have a field making up puns to go with the name of that town. Believe me, it would be funny, but very, very coarse. Not to be written about :-).

Saludos desde Londres.

Catherine said...

Cuban - thanks for pointing it out...and there is a whole university called Chapingo too!! No rude associations here in Mexico but I do keep coming across howlers like this in different versions of Spanish around the world - here a common female name is Concha which would be totally unthinkable in Argetina - in Cuba too?? Enjoy the joke - that is the beauty of language!!

Fly Girl said...

The Diego Rivera murals are stunning and so are the vibrant food displays.

Sylvia K said...

Oh, I love it!!! Diego Rivera is one of my favorites! What a great post! I love the markets, too, and your food shots are marvelous! What a great post for the day! Not to mention what lovely memories you brought back to me of Mexico!

Have a great week!

Sylvia

Photo Cache said...

Interesting post.

My entry is at www.ewok1993.wordpress.com

eileeninmd said...

Wonderful series of photos, I love the market and food displays.

Dirkjogt said...

Great murals and lovely pictures!

J said...

Again, a wonderful collection of colour drenched photos. It would be nice to be able to enlarge them though and see them in greater detail.

The Explorer said...

A short trip in Chapingo is really nice to experience. You feature it in a manner of importance.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

I love those murals and the displays of fruit. I was only in the Mexico City area once, years ago, but still remember all the different fruit.

PeterParis said...

Already to see the works of Diego would make the visit, but the local market seems really to be something also!

It seems tha Diego left a number of kids with different mistresses when he left Paris. I don't know if he left any art work (murals etc..). Have to find out!

Catherine said...

hey everyone - thanks for tuning in this week and leaving lots of appreciative comments..