The Laboratorio Arte Alameda (LAA) in Mexico City has recently reopened its doors, offering a unique perspective on the intersection of restoration and artistic expression. This former 16th-century convent, now a museum, has undergone a transformative journey, and its restoration serves as a fascinating case study in the interplay between art and history.
Personally, I find it intriguing how the LAA has embraced the challenge of exhibiting works in a space laden with historical layers. The museum's curatorial team, led by Gemma Argüello, saw the restoration as an opportunity to redefine the institution's purpose. They envisioned the museum as a living laboratory, a space where artistic creation could be explored and where the building's material history could be unearthed.
The long-awaited restoration process was not merely about repairing damage caused by earthquakes and water infiltration. It involved a delicate balance between preservation and transformation. Invasive plant species, for instance, had taken root in the building's crevices, necessitating the involvement of biologists. The goal was to retain the historic character of the former Templo de San Diego, a significant site during the Mexican Inquisition.
Enter Pablo Rasgado, an artist whose practice delves into material history through ambitious projects. Rasgado's residency during the restoration allowed him to engage in a unique form of speculative archaeology. He merged fiction with fact, creating fictitious pentimenti—changes made during painting that become visible over time—over digital facsimiles of colonial paintings. This critical strategy expanded the narratives of the building's history, and Rasgado adapted his work as the restoration progressed, collaborating closely with the restorers.
Rasgado's project, titled "Pentimento," is a fascinating exploration of painting and restoration techniques. He reinterpreted and deconstructed these techniques, creating new narratives while engaging with the painting process. Some of his pentimenti reveal historical tensions, such as the reproduction of Francisco Antonio Vallejo's "Glorificación de la Inmaculada," where the sitters' faces are replaced by pre-Hispanic figures, alluding to syncretism. Other pentimenti are abstract color explorations, transforming the atmosphere of the space.
The restoration project also reinterpreted archaeological windows into pre-Hispanic times. Vestiges of the past, such as debris and moldings recovered during restoration, are now visible through cut areas in the temple's wooden floor. The decorated tiles, once too fragile to reinstall, offer a glimpse into the temple's former glory. These elements create a dialogue with Rasgado's pentimenti, opening spaces of memory that were previously concealed.
The towering walls of the LAA, with their sections of paint from different eras, contribute to the aesthetic experience. Under Rasgado's direction, restorers uncovered layers of history, resulting in a kind of abstract timeline. The artist's interventions, applied using a reversal of the strappo technique, further blur the lines between historic layers and artistic interventions.
Rasgado's project is dynamic, and he plans to alter his work in August, adding new images to the existing pieces. This second phase of "Pentimento" will be accompanied by performances by artists Gabriel Acevedo Velarde and Adrián Bracho.
While the most critical issues have been addressed, the restoration process is ongoing. The LAA's building, with its unique history and artistic interventions, has become an archive, a medium, and a space for reflection. It serves as a testament to the power of restoration as an artistic practice, challenging our perceptions of what art can be and how it can engage with history.
