The FEMSA Collection will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a major exhibition

Constellations and Drifts: Latin American Art from the FEMSA Collection, to be shown at MARCO in 2026, brings together 170 works by 115 Latin American artists from the 20th and 21st centuries, including a piece commissioned from the Argentine artist Ad Minoliti.

The FEMSA Collection, considered one of the most important private art collections in Latin America, will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2027 with the major exhibition "Constellations and Drifts: Latin American Art from the FEMSA Collection," which will open at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Monterrey (MARCO) in March 2026.

Beginning with the work "El maizal (Milpa seca)" by Gerardo Murillo, Dr. Atl, in 1977, the collection has grown to include more than 1,320 works by 786 artists, some of them iconic figures of the 20th century, such as Diego Rivera, Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington, Lygia Clark, David Alfaro Siqueiros, José Clemente Orozco, Francisco Toledo, Pedro Friedeberg, Juan Soriano, and María Izquierdo, as well as more contemporary artists whose careers are defining of the 21st century, such as Gabriel Orozco, Betsabeé Romero, and Flor Garduño, Graciela Iturbide, or Jorge Méndez Blake.

Constellations and Drifts..., comprised of a selection of approximately 170 works—one of which, by the Argentine artist Ad Minoliti, was specially commissioned for this presentation—will be open to the public from March 20 to August 9, 2026, proposing new interpretations of this corporate collection based on the diverse perspectives and explorations that have shaped Latin American artistic production during the 20th and 21st centuries.

Paulina Bravo, chief curator of the FEMSA Collection, explains that the exhibition is conceived "based on a constellation model that moves away from singular, linear narratives to activate connections between works, eras, and geographies. This approach reveals the multiplicity of languages and perspectives that permeate the art of the region, inviting us to consider Latin American art beyond national or chronological categories."

For her part, Eugenia Braniff, associate curator and advisor for the FEMSA Collection and Biennial, noted: “Constellations and Drifts will be the most comprehensive public presentation of works from the FEMSA Collection ever shown in Mexico. (...) This exhibition allows us to rediscover pieces by major Latin American artists in dialogue with others acquired over 50 years by Francis Alÿs, Vivian Suter, Beatriz González, Damián Ortega, and Julio Galán, inviting a broader and deeper understanding of Latin American art.”

“More than the culmination of five decades of work, this exhibition is a tribute to the vision of those who founded the collection, who sought to recognize the talent of our region and ensure that art remains accessible to everyone,” added Paulina Bravo. Since 2000, the FEMSA Collection has taken on a traveling character, expanding its reach through collaborations with museums and organizations in various regions, a feature that has contributed to the spirit of openness, collaboration, and mobility that distinguishes it from other art collections. private.

“For 135 years, FEMSA has maintained a commitment to the arts, aware of the profound impact that culture has on the development of communities. This exhibition represents the result of five decades of work, dedication, and support for Latin American artists. Presenting it allows us to share the diversity of their artistic production as we begin the next 50 years of our vision to bring art closer to a greater number of people,” stated Laura Pacheco, FEMSA Collection and Biennial Manager.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a public program that will expand upon the exhibition's research themes through activities in various formats, including conferences, talks, events, and workshops.

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