THE PANORAMIC VIEW

The story of a food stand that became a Gallery.                                            

Why show up? (Or the reason for this box)

As its shape and size shows, Panoramic View was once a food stand. The bread, gas tanks and soft drinks gave up their place to different artists who throughout 2005 exhibited their work in this space. The Panoramic View opened when the food stand closed: before one had to pay for food, now feeding curiosity costs nothing, peeking out is free.

But, after all, what is this box covered with eyes and arrows? 
It is easier to start with what it is not. The Panoramic View is not an effort to bring Art –with a capital letter– to the people (the muralists already did that a long time ago, and besides, we don’t have the budget for so much painting). What we looked for was to place artistic work that seemed interesting to us in an unusual place, where people could come across them by chance, as sometimes one comes across a book or a pirate record in the street that catches his attention. 

The Panoramic View did not intend to be a museum: you go into museums with your legs, here you access with your eyes. Although it is not the first time something like this has been done (Marcel Duchamp was a key influence, for example), this punched box is above all an experiment. An experiment in which what happens outside, with the people who get closer, is as important as what happens inside.

Epilogue: the intentions behind a name

The name of The Panoramic View arises partially because we thought it was funny to call a space completely opposite* to “a high place to contemplate a landscape,” as the dictionary says. But above all we chose it because it refers to the viewer, the spectator of the artistic work. They will excuse the trite kitsch, but The Panoramic View is you; there is no other way to say it. What is inside it does not exist until someone observes it, otherwise it is meaningless.


*The Panoramic View was placed in the emblematic roundabout ‘Glorieta de Insurgentes’ in Mexico City.

The Miniplugs Collective project; Paulina del Paso y Rene, Peñaloza Galvan in collaboration with Maria Jose Cuevas, Alex Dorsfman and America Gutierrez.

SUPPORTED BY

Culture and Arts Nacional Fund
Promotion of Cultural Projects and Co-investments Program
Delegacion Cuauhtemoc 
Roma-Condesa Territorial Directorate
Metro Collective Transportation System

DESIGN OF PANORAMIC VIEW

The design of The Panoramic View   is by the filmmaker (and graphic designer in her spare time) Maria Jose Cuevas It is inspired by the posters and book covers of the Russian Constructivist movement of the early 20th century. This movement played with geometric elements, arrows, and words with different fonts, among other elements. In the case of the design of The Panoramic View, the dynamic and striking character of the compositions of this movement was taken up, adding icons from Victorian engravings such as pointing hands and eyes of different colors and sizes (this as an allusion to the voyeuristic game implicit in The Panoramic View. Advertising strategies such as exclamations, indications, and invitations to peak in were also used. Maria Jose Cuevas also designed all the posters for each exhibition and event. The plastic artist Jonathan Farr labeled the stand.

EXPOSICIONES

“ROAD MOIVE” 

February 19 to March 12, 2005,

Installation: slide projection, label, and sound.
Ivan Edeza / Rogelio Sosa

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“I ONLY BELIEVE WHAT I SEE” 

March 19 to April 16, 2005,

Installation of variable measures: mirrors, sand, acrylic, rotating lighting

Ximena Cuevas and Fabiola Torres-Alzaga

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“CONFINEMENT” 

April 23 to May 21, 2005,

Sculpture, photo, model.
Patricia Yossen/Daniela Edburg/Katri Walker 

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“MEXICO 2018” 

May 28 to June 25, 2005,

Installation of variable measures.

Pedro “Zulu” Gonzalez

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“NOTHING” 

July 2005,
B/W photographs
Gustavo Graf

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“BAMBINO” 

August 27 to September 24, 2005,
Installation
Paulina del Paso

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“LOOKING FOR VENUS” 

ctober 1 to October 22, 2005,
Photographs, Color, action.
Curatorial Laboratory 060 .

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“PINK AND GREEN CHAIR”

October 29 to November 24, 2005,
Installation
Edgar Orlaineta

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“NIGHT LANDSCAPE”

January 2006,
Alex Dorfsman
Installation.

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EVENTS

The Panoramic View opens

Five months after being born, The Panoramic View continues its long and wide tradition of not establishing a long and wide tradition. Until now people have had to lean out…

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Bordermates

All Paid Trip: Kansas City Tropical  Simulation of a fictional resort, a paradise island created by a scientist dedicated to genetics and entertainment technology. Free video, music, and ceviche (fish)…

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Thelmo Castelló and the Cuaternarios

The last great romantic, direct from Las Vegas, Texcoco  What can be said about Thelmo Castello that hasn’t been said before? Who has not fallen in love to the beat…

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Taniel Morales

Collective Unconscious System: cathartic exercise Sound installation by the multidisciplinary artist Taniel Morales, The Panoramic View is being transformed into a music box. Event Collective Unconscious System: cathartic exercise, Taniel…

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Iker Vicente Erzte, Jacqueline Serafín and the Lavadero Orchestra

The Robots Showcase of Dr. Cara de Güito First notes for a small manual of adventures. Ingenious imitations of everyday acts such as walking, carrying a suitcase, petting a dog,…

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