Mérida, Yucatán — The former Galería Tataya space across from Santa Ana church has been taken over by the Galería Bernardini.
The new gallery, which already sells art in Monterrey, Mexico City, Puebla and Oaxaca, will open tonight at 8. Enrique Ancona Teigell, honorary consul of France and president of the patronato del Centro Histórico, as well as artist Jorge “Roy” Sobrino, will cut the ceremonial ribbon.
Located on Calle 60, Galería Bernardini has a catalog of more than 50 artists, including David Alfaro Siqueiros, Rufino Tamayo, José Clemente Orozco, Leonora Carrington, Manuel Felguerez, Pedro Friedeberg and Gilberto Pérez Navarro.
There are also works by Israel Montes, Rolando Rojas, Fracisco Toledo, Sergio Hernandez, Fulgencio Lazo, Fitzia Mendialdua, Mgada Torres Gurza, Lucio Santiago, Feliciano Béjar, Carlos Oviedo, Carlos Agustín and Jorge “Roy” Sobrino, Sebastián and Rafael Coronel. Coronel, son-in-law of Diego Rivera, is a Mexico City artist with 10 works on display for the new space’s debut.
“There are paintings, sculptures, graphics (serigraphs, engravings, lithographs and woodcuts). There are works from 2,000 to more than one million or two million pesos,” said Diego Bernardini Borja, the gallery owner.
Bernardini Borja told Diario de Yucatán that Mérida grabbed their attention because it is a growing market.
“We see that there is a growing economy, there is culture and people who value art very much,” he said, noting the new houses being built in the north, particularly golf and beach communities.
While Mérida is his sixth city, he eventually plans to have 10 galleries nationally and then seek new branches in other countries.
He said that acquiring a work of art is an investment. “But there is also a need to cover spaces on the walls,” he said, indicating he favors art studios whose output is cheerful and colorful, and not dark and sad.
He considered that globally, Mexico is a world power in terms of artist quality and quantity.
“If we could, we would export the art that we promote; I think if we took it to Asia or Europe we could sell it for double or quadruple.”
Besides presenting collective exhibitions, Bernardini Borja also plans two benefit auctions, one in April or May and another in October or November) for the benefit of some foundation or association.
Galería Bernardini, Calle 60 No. 409 between 45 and 47, will be open Monday to Saturday. Summer hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. in winter.
