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Critical, sarcastic, restless, innovative and revo-lutionary, Juan O’Gorman (Mexico City, 1905-1982) is one of the most representative creators of the Mexican scene of the 20th century and one of the most well rounded.
He was an architect, painter and muralist. His grandmother was the first to grant him a wall to fill with children’s drawings, which eventually gave way to his first murals that he left in three pulque bars: Los Fifís, Mi oficina and Entre violetas.
In those years he also designed his own studio house (1929), considered the first functionalist house in Latin America. This property —where he never lived— was followed by the emblematic House of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo (1931–1932); both were inspired by Le Corbusier postulates, which promulgate the idea that utilitarian function must be the inspiration of form.
In 1949 he began the colored stone mosaic of the Central Library of Ciudad Universitaria (UNAM), considered one of the most important works not only of the campus, but also of Mexico.
He spent a lot of time and toured many states collecting the pieces that make up the four thousand square meters covered with natural stones, of ten thousand colors, which represented a key piece for UNAM’s central campus to be distinguished with the title of Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
