'The Maya: Revelation of an Endless Time' at the National Palace in Mexico

During the inauguration in the National Palace of the exhibition titled: The Maya: Revelation Of An Endless Time, President Enrique Peña Nieto said that this will make it possible to continue projecting Mexico in the world through our cultural wealth while at the same time encouraging Mexicans’ pride in our roots and our identity.

He said that this is the most important exhibition that has been staged of Maya culture, “A culture that has left a great legacy, precisely in enriching the culture of our country. And here, I think it is worth noting that this is one of the great civilizations that flourished in what is now Mexico.”

He added that, “It was one of the many civilizations that contributed to amalgamating the soul of the Mexican people.”

The large-scale exhibition, installed in the National Gallery of the National Palace, contains over 530 pieces, some contributed by Guatemala. It will run at the National Palace until April and then be transferred to Brazil and subsequently to France.

During the event, attended by the Governors of Quintana Roo, Roberto Borge Angulo; Campeche, Fernando Ortega Bernes; Chiapas, Manuel Velasco Coello, and Yucatán, Rolando Zapata Bello, President Enrique Peña Nieto hailed the collaboration of sister countries, particularly Guatemala, which contributed one hundred pieces, which have enriched this unprecedented, unique exhibition for the enjoyment of all Mexicans.

He declared that Maya culture, “continues to be a living civilization, a culture that is present among Mexicans,” which is why, he said, the testimonies comprising the exhibition are important.

He hailed the fact that the exhibition is being staged at the National Palace for the enjoyment of all Mexicans.

“Let this be an occasion to invite all Mexicans to see this great exhibition as well as an incentive, a great stimulus so that within all the work we have done to project Mexico through our cultural wealth, through the testimonials we have of our culture, displayed in different parts of the world, through this exhibition we will continue to project Mexico in the world, but also, very importantly, we will encourage Mexicans to take pride in our roots and our identity,” he said.

He congratulated Conaculta, the INAH and the Secretariat of Finance, “Who joined forces and, through various public entities, have made this great exhibition a reality.”

Rafael Tovar y de Teresa, President of the National Council for Culture and the Arts (Conaculta), said that the exhibition Maya: revelation of an endless time is an opportunity to discover the most noble face of Mexican culture, in addition to the fact that it is an unprecedented exhibition since nearly 50 percent of the pieces comprise recent findings.

**Fragment of clay figurine. Late Classic Period. Rosario, Chiapas [Credit: Héctor Montaño/INAH]**

He pointed out that this is the first exhibition of a cultural program that will last throughout the present Administration, and that it is part of a series of exhibitions that will be undertaken in collaboration with the Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit at the National Palace, explaining that it, “Will house the most precious thing Mexicans have, which is our culture.”

He declared that since the beginning of his mandate, President Enrique Peña Nieto gave instructions for work to be carried out on cultural issues with a social dimension and for quality exhibitions to be staged. “This,” he added, is “one of the most important exhibitions on the Art of Ancient Mexico and pre-Hispanic art that have been staged in our country.”

Source: INAH via Art Daily [December 28, 2013]