Mexico City's Amparo & Manuel Foundation makes US debut at Museum of Sex
Bert Stern, Marilyn Monroe Nude on a Bed.
NEW YORK, NY.—
The human body and fragility of life take center stage this spring at the Museum of Sex New York with the debut of “The Life Force: Portraits from the Amparo & Manuel Foundation”. Organized in collaboration with the Mexico City-based Amparo & Manuel Foundation, an organization dedicated to education, human development and cultural engagement, the exhibition marks the foundation’s first presentation in the United States. The Life Force brings together 45 works from the collection, including paintings, sculptures, drawings and photographs, exploring the body, desire and resilience of human nature.
The exhibition examines the tension between Eros and Thanatos–the life instinct and the death drive–revealing how sex and vulnerability act as expressions of life in the face of death. Figures appear in moments of reflection and exploration, while cracks cross bodies and environments evoke the structural stresses that lie beneath everyday composure. Within this landscape, intimacy emerges as a spark of recognition: being real, being seen, being unveiled. Featured artists include Amoako Boafo, Tracey Emin, Bert Stern, Oh De Laval and others, whose works emphasize tenderness, strength and the complexity of human emotion.
“In The Life Force, the body becomes a space where Eros and Thanatos exist in constant tension,” said Tam Gryn, Curator and Managing Director at the Museum of Sex Miami. “The artworks hold that complexity, between presence and disappearance, pleasure and instability–and reveal how intimacy can function as a form of resistance against decay. Within that fragility, the human impulse to love, feel, connect and remain alive becomes incredibly powerful.”
On view through November 2026, The Life Force invites audiences to engage deeply with questions of existence, desire and connection, while experiencing the foundation’s thoughtfully curated collection in its first U.S. showing. By confronting the fragility and impermanence of life, the exhibition ultimately affirms the human impulse to seek connection, embrace vulnerability and remain fully present within the body.
“At the Amparo and Manuel Foundation, we believe that art is a means of raising awareness and fostering a greater appreciation of our surroundings.” – The Amparo & Manuel Foundation
The Museum of Sex provides a vital context for this exploration, offering a platform where desire and human expression are examined across history, art and culture. Through its dynamic exhibitions and collections, the museum continues to illuminate how sex and intimacy shape identity, relationships and society at large, making it a natural and compelling home for The Life Force. Museum of Sex New York is located in the Nomad neighborhood at 233 Fifth Avenue.
