The morning began by calling Martin Vargas, a local photographer, to ask for a lab to process film and a facility house where I could rent equipment that I need for the cave shoot on Saturday. To my surprise, Martin is the official photographer who works for the mining company that operates the Niaca cave. His advice was abundent and he offered to lend me the equipment that I was looking for. I was left silent for a moment as this offer seemed too good to be true. A tremendous help. We arranged to meet later that night.
I took the bus to where Itzel has her office. We met a few months ago and have keept in touch as she has helped coordinate and get access to the Giant Crystal Cave. This has been a huge endeavour as the cave has been off limits to the public the last couple of years. The sensitive environment within the cave means that it is slowly deteriorating and will likely be closed completely in the near future.
Our scheduled visit is set for Saturday. We will be traveling north on Friday and spend an extra day in case we get the opportunity to visit a second time.
All practical was taken care of yesterday - meeting with Itzel to plan and Martin to pickup equipment. This left a full day to explore the city. I decided to visit a notorious gallery/private collection - Coleccion Jumex. Little information is found on this space, but from everything I'd read it sounded like the one place to visit if you only have one day in M.C. One thing keept coming up though - it could be quite difficult to find as it was located in an old factory building. But this didn't seem too strange as many galleries I've seen in the past have been in industrial areas. But I was wrong. There is a clear distincion between industrial areas and the industrial areas of Mexico City.
The cab dropped me outside a factory. A fortress of a gate with Jumex written in blue on white background. This could certainly not be the entrance to any collection. It was the entrance to the largest juice producer in latin america. But the guard nodded "yes" when I repeated ¿La collection de Jumex?!... I gave him my pasport and a phone call was made. This misunderstanding would soon be cleared up. But, no - he returned my papers and allowed me to pass, saying that I should continue past the first two building, stay out of the way of trucks and other operating equipment - then I would come to another gate - there I should present my pass again.
I walked in, now on the grounds of the factory. A clear misunderstanding, having gone too far to turn around. I prayed the consequence would be mild.
Again at the second gate I was allowed to pass, being told that I should go through the second door on my right. I was now walking toward the juice warehouse. Pallet trucks came purring by.
Second door on the right: a large glass door without a knob. I rang a bell and it slid open with the sound of hydraulics - zzzzzzz. What came next was one of the biggest surprises I've had the past year. From wall to wall right in from of me hung a huge Gursky piece - perhaps the most famous contemporary photographer - and next to him Jeff Wall, Koons, Orozco...
Some of the most infuential artists in the world, all gathered in this hideaway warehouse on the grounds of a juice factory. Even the guy sitting at the entrance desk wore a Jumex jumpsuit like he just steped out of a processing plant.
As chances of anyone finding this location are slim, so was the audience. I spent hours there viewing the exhibition, "The traveling show", with only two other people present.
It was raining hard when I left - high and inspired.
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