A hidden monumental artwork at sight

Now that the ball has stopped and the stadiums are empty, I’ll take advantage of the silence and the hangover. Here, in this infamous country called Mexico, lives and breathes a monumental sculpture right under everybody's nose, unnoticed. Right in front of the main entrance and square of the famous, at least in this so-called country, “Estadio Azteca”, now under the name of “Estadio Banorte”, a mexican bank —BTW, one of the worst—, I’m talking about Alexander Calder’s sculpture "El Sol Rojo" —The red sun— he made as a gift for The Olympics in 1968, one of the most controverted and bloody Mexican years.

Sol Rojo, Alexander Calder, Olimpiadas Culturales 1968

You can ask an average Mexican on the street about the sculpture; they won’t even know its colors, nor its name, let alone the artist behind it. You can even ask the city’s mayor or the president, and neither will know a bit of it or its history.

However, the piece stands alone like an Aztec eagle warrior, watching generations of Mexicans come and go without noticing it, let alone caring about it.

After this Football World Cup, I can’t avoid a simple question: Why? It will go back to being part of the landscape, its routine without anyone noticing it.

But as one of my dearest and very few familiars says, “life is not fair”. Despite the fact that Alexander Calder is one of the most celebrated sculptors of the 20^th century.

Such is the place that a vast majority of the global population gives to art, artists, science, and scientists.

Candy Crush is far more popular. That makes me deeply sad and makes me think this species is doomed.

A hidden monumental artwork at sight