In celebration of the 1968 Olympic Games, Mexico hosted several cultural events throughout the year. The most outstanding event was the creation of Ruta de la Amistad, an outdoor exhibit consisting of nineteen large-scale sculptures located along a 17Km route. An international collaboration, artists representing five continents designed and built the concrete sculptures, ranging from 8 to 22 meters in height set along the edge of a motorway in Mexico City. Three additional sculptures were created by invited artists from Mexico and USA and placed by the sports stadiums used for the games. Over the next years the sculptures, overrun by the rapid urban development, were neglected and vandalized. The Patronato Ruta de la Amistad, a local advocacy group created in 1994, has been working on the restoration and safeguarding of Ruta de la Amistad. To date, seventeen sculptures have been successfully restored; five are in need of restoration, and several are in need of relocation.
Station 1, “Signs”/“Señales” by Mexican sculptor Ángela Gurría, conserved but in need of relocation, 2009
Station 1, “Signs”/“Señales” by Mexican sculptor Ángela Gurría, virtual reconstruction of proposed location, 2012
Station 2, “The Anchor”/“El Ancla” by Swiss sculptor Willi Gutmann, conserved before relocation, 2009
Station 2, “The Anchor”/El Ancla” by Swiss sculptor Willi Gutmann, during relocation, 2011
Station 2, “The Anchor”/ “El Ancla” by Swiss sculptor Willi Gutmann, virtual reconstruction of proposed location, 2012
Station 3, “The Three Graces”/ “Las Tres Gracias” by Czech sculptor Miloslav Chlupac, conserved but in need of relocation, 2009
Station 3, “The Three Graces”/“Las Tres Gracias” by Czech sculptor Miloslav Chlupac, virtual reconstruction of proposed location, 2012
Station 4, “Spheres”/“Esferas” by Japanese sculptor Kioshi Takahashi, conserved but in need of relocation, 2009
Station 4, “Spheres”/“Esferas” by Japanese sculptor Kioshi Takahashi, virtual reconstruction of proposed location, 2012
Station 5, “The Two-legged Sun”/“El Sol Bípedo” by Hungarian-French sculptor Pierre Székely, conserved, 2009
Station 6, “Tower of the Winds”/“Torre de los Vientos” by Uruguayan sculptor Gonzalo Fonseca, conserved, 2009
Station 6, “Tower of the Winds”/“Torre de los Vientos” by Uruguayan sculptor Gonzalo Fonseca, interior, 2012
Conservation workshop, located next to Station 6, 2012
Station 7, “Man of Peace”/“Hombre de Paz” by Italian sculptor Costantino Nivola, conserved, 2012
Station 8, “Solar Disk”/“Disco Solar” by Belgian sculptor Jacques Moeschal, conserved, 2012
Station 9, Untitled by American sculptor Todd Williams, conserved, 2010
Station 10, “Sundial”/“Reloj Solar,” by Polish sculptor Grzegorz Kowalski, post-conservation, 2012
Station 11, “Mexico”/“México,” by Spanish sculptor José María Subirachs, conserved, 2009
Station 12, “Janus” by Australian sculptor Clement Meadmore, in need of conservation and relocation, 2012
Station 12, “Janus” by Australian sculptor Clement Meadmore, obscured by a fence, 2012
Station 12, “Janus” by Australian sculptor Clement Meadmore, , virtual reconstruction of proposed location, 2012
Station 13, “Articulated Wall”/“Muro Articulado” by Austrian-American sculptor Herbert Bayer, in need of conservation and relocation, 2012
Station 13, “Articulated Wall”/“Muro Articulado” by Austrian-American sculptor Herbert Bayer, virtual reconstruction of proposed location, 2012
Station 14, “Gathering of Giants”/“Tertulia de Gigantes” by Dutch sculptor Joop J. Beljon, conserved, 2009
Station 15, “Gate of Peace”/“Puerta de Paz” by Israeli sculptor Itzhak Danzinger, 1968
Station 16, Untitled by French sculptor Olivier Seguin, in need of conservation and relocation, 2012
Station 17, “African Charamusca”/“Charamusca Africana,” by Moroccan sculptor Mohamed Melehi, conserved but in need of relocation, 2009
Station 18, Untitled by Mexican sculptor Jorge Dubón, in need of conservation, 1968
Station 19, “Gates of the Wind”/“Puerta al Viento” by Mexican sculptor Helen Escobedo, conserved but in need of relocation, 2010
Map of the 17-kilometer route
Most of the sculptures are being relocated to two cloverleaf interchanges along the route, creating clustered ensembles that ensure the protection and accessibility of the works of art.
