Manuel Felguérez Museum of Abstract Art

The Manuel Felguérez Museum of Abstract Art is one of the most important art museums and civic institutions within the city of Zacatecas. The museum was opened in 1998 as a joint project of Manuel Felguérez, the government of the State of Zacatecas, and the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL). For many visitors to the capital, it remains a touchstone for the intellectual life of the city and its artistic communities. 

Manuel Felguérez Barra (1928-2020) was a celebrated artist and sculptor of the first generation of Mexican abstract artists. He created more than 50 murals and urban sculptures in Mexico, Colombia, the United States, and South Korea since 1959. His work is in the collections in these same countries and in Cuba, Japan, Chile, Nicaragua, Argentina, India, Spain, and Monaco. His work has been linked to Geometric Constructivism, Informalism, and Abstract Expressionism, but anyone visiting will get strong ideas from each of the individual works irrespective of any art historical background. 

The museum was established in the former Seminary of the Purísima Concepción which dates from the 19th century and which was later adapted to serve as a prison. The museum collection includes many works of Felguérez himself as well as that of many other artists going back to the period of La Ruptura in the 1950s. The collection is presented in no fewer than 15 galleries  of work by Mexican and foreign abstract artists. There are also ongoing exhibitions of contemporary works in the temporary galleries. Visits are inspiring, and the atmosphere is both welcoming and informative.

The museum is roughly a five-minute walk from the Rafael Colonel museum, and a bit further north from the museum of Francisco Goitia. Strollers hoping for a total eye-full could certainly manage all three museums in the same day. But then, you do want to take your time with each. 

Hours: Wednesday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Closed Tuesdays)