Abstract

CEDENO-VALDIVIEZO, Alberto  and  TORRES-LIMA, Pablo. Conservation of contemporary art. The case of the stained glass windows of Mathias Goeritz in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City. Rev. Arquit. [online]. 2019, vol.21, n.1, pp.44-53.  Epub May 28, 2019. ISSN 1657-0308.  https://doi.org/10.14718/revarq.2019.21.1.2304.

The work of Polish-German artist Mathias Goeritz-more specifically, his stained-glass windows in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City that, currently, are at risk of being removed-has been questioned since its creation in 1960, given that its modern language is in contrast with the architectural style of the religious building. This situation opens the discussion of a problem that arises when modern art works carried out by foreign artists are placed in religious buildings of patrimonial character. It is difficult to understand whether this discussion is, in effect, a rejection of the artistic language used by modern artists, since it does not correspond to the architectural language of historical buildings, despite the fact that this practice is common in some European countries, or whether this rejection is rather a consequence of the values inculcated by the Mexican State after the Mexican Revolution, which promote the National Spirit and reject everything foreign. This paper aims to determine which of these arguments is relevant in the case of Goeritz's work. Through the conceptual definition of work of art, it seeks to identify the real value of these stained glass windows, and which are the most effective legal forms to protect them.

Keywords : Mexican architecture; religious architecture; Mexican art; monuments; material heritage; stained glass windows.

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