Design has become an increasingly compelling gateway to understanding the history of cities, and with that premise, the Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo (MUAC) presents The History of Sitting: Variations of Seating in Mexico, an exhibition that transforms an everyday object into a journey through the country's cultural, social, and aesthetic evolution.

On view through October 11, the exhibition, curated by Ana Elena Mallet, offers an unconventional perspective on Mexican design by telling the story of the country through its chairs and seating traditions. Rather than simply showcasing furniture, the exhibition reveals how a chair, butaque, equipal, or hammock reflects the ways people have lived, rested, worked, and gathered throughout different periods of Mexico's history.

The exhibition features more than 40 pieces from the MUAC Collection of Modern and Contemporary Design in Mexico, complemented by works from private collections. Spanning the 20th century to the present day, it includes creations by some of the most influential figures in design and architecture, including Clara Porset, Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, Óscar Hagerman, Héctor Esrawe, Ezequiel Farca, Don Shoemaker, Ricardo Legorreta, and Josef Albers, among others.

Rather than presenting a conventional chronology of furniture, the exhibition explores how Mexican design emerged through an ongoing dialogue between craftsmanship and modernity. Visitors will discover how pieces inspired by the equipal, the butaque, and traditional weaving techniques using palm, tule, reed, and wicker evolved alongside industrial and contemporary designs that redefined the country's design identity.

One of the exhibition's highlights is the remarkable variety of materials featured throughout the collection. Wood, leather, stainless steel, brass, bronze, polypropylene, and natural fibers illustrate how each designer interpreted the relationship between the human body and space through distinct aesthetic and cultural perspectives.

Beyond its artistic significance, The History of Sitting invites visitors to reconsider the relationship between everyday objects and daily life. The exhibition argues that design is not merely functional—it also shapes identity, expresses social aspirations, and preserves the collective memory of a nation.

For international travelers interested in design, architecture, and Mexico's contemporary culture, the exhibition provides a unique opportunity to explore how Mexican creativity has engaged with both local traditions and global influences for more than a century. It also offers an excellent reason to visit Ciudad Universitaria, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Latin America's most significant architectural landmarks.

The exhibition also highlights the work of the MUAC Collection of Modern and Contemporary Design in Mexico, established in 2018 to create the country's first public collection dedicated to the research, preservation, and promotion of Mexican design as an essential part of the nation's contemporary cultural heritage.

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