Tying Loose Ends at the National Museum of Mexican Art

September 8 was a first for me in a lot of ways. It was my first time traveling to Chicago without my parents. It was my first time taking a train. It was also my first time going to the National Museum of Mexican Art. However, none of these firsts were experienced alone — on September 8, my brother Trent, friends Michael Shen and Chris Park, and I commuted to Chicago with a sense of adventure and willingness to experience a part of my Mexican culture.

The NMMA contains a permanent collection of artwork that it has year-round. This content really delivered in regards to the culture of Mexican people. It contained a plethora of artwork related to the history and traditions of Mexicans, from statues to paintings. My favorite piece of artwork is shown below. I loved the colors used in the piece and the connection to family that the Altars used on the Day of the Dead display.

“Ofrenda de Muertos” by Olga Costa

However, while the cultural art was beautiful, it didn’t have much of an impact on me. To an extent, living in the wealthy white suburb of Northbrook has blinded to me to my Mexican side. Here in Northbrook I often only find the majority opinion, and have become so adjusted to it that I have learned to tune out my “Mexicanness” to fit in. Thus, in my eyes, the whole point of going on the trip was to gain a freshened perspective on history (or current events) from the point of view of the Mexican population of the world. In turn, I would be able to reconnect with my Mexican heritage and disconnect from the nuances of Northbrook. Luckily, the NMMA also contains a rotating set of exhibits. On display when we visited was a set of Political artwork that was extremely intriguing. Two of my favorite political art pieces are contained below:

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My motivation for going on this trip in the first place revolved around some of the material I was learning in my English class. In class, we were using an excerpt from author Bobbie Harro to aid discussion about the ways we identify ourselves. One of the things she mentions that really stuck with me was that “We get systematic training in ‘how to be’ each of our social identities throughout our lives” (“The Cycle of Socialization”). After reading this quote, I really began to consider my social identities and why I choose to align the way I do. I realized that despite being a quarter Mexican, here in Northbrook, it is much safer and much easier for me to act as if I’m not Mexican at all. As a result, I taught myself to lose a large part of my identity. However, these pieces (along with the rest of the collection) provided the fresh perspective I set out to find. In doing so, they gave me a sense of satisfaction and nostalgia— I was happy to have reconnected with my Mexicanness, a part of me that I was so proud of before moving to Northbrook.

So, after having revived a part of my identity, I was excited to return home. Coincidentally, though, the most impactful part of our trip was the Uber back to the train station. Our Uber driver was a man named Sergio, and after asking us about our motivation for visiting the museum, opened up about his experience as a Mexican immigrant who came to the United States seeking a better life. Speaking with him made me think about my social identities once again. Although living in Northbrook has made me disconnect with my Mexican side, it also has plenty of advantages. I have plenty of things which I take for granted that Sergio had to fight for just to achieve. I know I have a great education and will have no problem finding a stable job, whereas Sergio had to flee to the U.S. to get his education and learned to speak English only to end up as a full-time Uber driver.

However, while the content Sergio disclosed was serious, he used a warm and positive tone. He assured us that nothing he has now would be if it wasn’t for him moving to the U.S., and he wouldn’t trade it for the world. Sergio was very down-to-earth, and I was humbled by listening to him. He was simply happy to be in the position he was now, and such an appreciation for life had a large impact on me. As we pulled up to Union Station, we said goodbye. “Stay in school!” he half-joked. For whatever reason, his comment reminded me of something within the Museum — a sign that said in neon letters “MAKE TACOS NOT WAR”. 

The fact that both his comment and the sign attempted to make serious material humorous made the trip that much more genuine. I could not have been more appreciative for going.