UAM Xochimilco

Photos: Mario Vera, Vladimix, Ismael Villafranco, CC BY 2.0 DEED

UAM Xochimilco is rather famously, in Coyoacán rather than in Xochimilco. Still, Xochimilco, specifically the Cuemanco area, is just east across the southern reaches of the Canal Nacional. It’s literally a stone’s throw. Some area residents will point out that the UAM campus is technically in the Coapa area, and that explains the relative confusion.

The Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana runs five independent campus around greater Mexico City. These are not often visited by international visitors. But the UAM-X campus runs two art galleries that prove a strong draw. This is in addition to the Auditorio Jesus Virchez which hosts frequent performances.

• The Sala Leopoldo Méndez, on the ground floor of the Central Building, hosts ongoing exhibits of visual arts from around the country. The gallery is named for the acclaimed graphic artist, Leopoldo Méndez (1902–1969).
• The Sala Gilberto Aceves Navarro focuses more on the university community. But as it is a very strong academic and artistic community, it proves equally popular with visitors. In these pages, Gilberto Aceves Navarro (1931–2019) is best known for the sculpture, El Pueblo del Sol, on Chapultepec Avenue. The gallery hosts exhibitions nearly year round.
• The campus also houses the “Aula-Casa Rural.” A prototype for the building of 1,000 rural schools in 1959, it was recognized with the Grand Prize of the XII Milan Triennial. The project was conceived by the architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez who was also the founder and first rector of the University.