In the heart of Mexico City, the residence of gallery owners unveils a vibrant blend of contemporary art and personal history. Bathed in natural light, the home of Jaime Riestra and Patricia Ortiz Monasterio not only showcases the couple’s art collection but also chronicles their artistic journey and adventures. As influential figures in Mexico’s art scene, their house is both a testament to their love for avant-garde art and a reflection of their personal narratives.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Architect: Eduardo Terrazas
Location: Mexico City
Homeowners: Jaime Riestra and Patricia Ortiz Monasterio
Art Collection: Contemporary Art and Personal Artifacts
Design: Collaborative and Eclectic Style
The home, a collaborative creation with architect Eduardo Terrazas, embodies a modern take on traditional Mexican architecture. Its layout draws inspiration from Riestra’s childhood in northwestern Mexico, featuring rooms organized around courtyards to harness natural light and maintain cool interiors. This design choice ensures the home is cocooned in greenery, offering a serene backdrop for the couple’s eclectic art collection. Their residence in Bosques de las Lomas, a vibrant neighborhood they chose in 1989, serves as a canvas where both art and life converge harmoniously.
As art gallery pioneers, a sense of the avant-garde pervades every corner of their home, yet the personal touches are unmistakable. In the master bedroom, a deeply personal photograph by Robert Mapplethorpe, depicting a young Riestra, encapsulates a significant chapter of his artistic past. Meanwhile, the dining room serves as a nod to their contemporary art taste, prominently featuring a Candida Höfer photograph and a custom rug by Jose Dávila, interweaving design and functionality with patterns of cultural significance.
The couple’s taste extends beyond visual arts into an intriguing symbiosis of architecture and whimsy. Their playful spirit is exemplified in their decision to carve an opening in a vine-clad patio wall, unveiling the angular roof of a nearby church, playfully resembling a pyramid. This gesture of humor and homage is further echoed in the living room’s chandelier, which transmits Theodor Adorno’s text in Morse code, blending visual elegance with intellectual engagement.
Over the years, their travels have contributed to the diverse array of artifacts peppering the home, from Egyptian chairs to a collection of eclectic knives and opium pipes. Riestra’s study upstairs is a personal sanctuary, combining elements of familial memory and artistic legacy. Here, he reflects on the life lived, captured in the artifacts and artworks surrounding him, which signifies not just artistic expression but milestones of personal history and passion.
Their house, curated and redesigned over decades, stands as a testimony to the enduring and evolving nature of art and design. It exists as a living museum where the past and present coexist, each object and artwork telling its own story. The residence embodies a journey through art and life, where every room is a chapter and every piece, a passage that speaks to their identity, humor, and profound connection to the world of art.
