MEXICO CITY.- A rarely seen dimension of renowned Mexican muralist Daniel Manrique Arias (1939-2010) is now on public display at the Universidad Aut髇oma Metropolitana (UAM), Xochimilco Unit. Titled "Pica, lica y califica. Daniel Manrique desde la mirada de Carlos Plascencia. Los 馿ros en la cultura" (roughly, "Try it, Look at it, and Judge for Yourself. Daniel Manrique from the Perspective of Carlos Plascencia. The '裡ros' in Culture"), the exhibition, which opened yesterday, invites visitors to form their own judgments on the artist's broader creative output.


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The exhibition moves beyond Manrique's celebrated murals to showcase his diverse artistic contributions, largely through the lens of cultural promoter Carlos Plascencia Fabila (1956-2015). Plascencia, also a key figure in the Tepito Arte Ac� collective, provides an intimate perspective on Manrique's work.

This significant show is a collaborative effort by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) through its Seminar-Workshop for the Restoration of Modern and Contemporary Art (STROMC), ENCRyM, UAM-Xochimilco, Galer韆 del Sur, the Tepito Arte Ac� collective, and the family of Carlos Plascencia.

According to Ana Lizeth Mata Delgado, head of the STROMC, the exhibition aims to "reveal another side of the artist, outside of his mural work," and to foster reflection on the documentation of the Tepito Arte Ac� movement. The initiative grew out of a restoration project initiated in 2022, when UAM-Xochimilco commissioned STROMC to restore Manrique's 1982 mural, Science and Society, a project completed in November 2024.

A Diverse Collection and Untold Stories

On view are 26 pieces, spanning easel paintings, sculptures, texts, and photographs by Carlos Plascencia. The exhibition also includes two videos featuring interviews with Manrique's collaborators, Antonio Paz and Claudia Salazar, highlighting efforts to bring the essence of the Tepito neighborhood to a wider audience.


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Visitors will find works that depict Tepito, often referred to as the "Barrio bravo" (Brave Neighborhood), showcasing its architecture and the everyday trades of its residents. The collection also includes Manrique's explorations of political and religious themes, offering a glimpse into the artist's personal reflections.

"The contrasts will be interesting, because there are extremely abstract works, something atypical in Manrique's oeuvre," Mata Delgado explained. "But we will also be able to see the master's pictorial journey through different years, from the 1980s to 2000, in various formats."

The curatorial team includes Abigail Plascencia G髆ez (Carlos Plascencia's daughter), Emma 羦ila L髉ez (Manrique's widow), their son Salom髇 Dorado 羦ila, museographer Juan Carlos Montes Rodr韌uez, and Ana Lizeth Mata Delgado.

Despite his cultural significance, Manrique himself, according to restorers, never sought recognition as a high artist or widespread display of his work. "It's interesting to see how, sometimes, you need that space-time for it to be valued," Mata Delgado noted, emphasizing Manrique's social approach to art, focused on local history and community engagement.

The exhibition is part of broader efforts to document and preserve Manrique's legacy. ENCRyM is also preparing a book about the restoration of his work at UAM-Xochimilco, and in collaboration with Tepito Arte Ac�, continues the restoration of murals at the Los Palomares Housing Unit, with 30 of the original 32 works preserved.

"Pica, lica y califica. Daniel Manrique from the Perspective of Carlos Plascencia. Los 馿ros en la cultura" is open to the public until August 1, 2025, in the Yvonne Domenge Room, located in the lobby of the “Ram髇 Villarreal P閞ez” Library at UAM-Xochimilco. Admission is free.



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