“Bathed in Light, a Locus of Sadness Begins to Heal” by Damien Cave – NY Times (July 18, 2011)
MEXICO CITY — The view from a night flight about to land in this ancient-now-massive metropolis has suddenly brightened. Outside the left-side windows on most approaches, rising from the drab haze of street lights, a web of red and blue lights tower over downtown.
A new building? Nope. Some kind of new neon advertising? Definitely not.
The connected crystals of red and blue light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, are actually public art — an electronic veil for the former Foreign Ministry to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National University of Mexico, which now owns the 20-story building.
That such a visibly stunning effort is now a landmark after only seven months may not be surprising here in a cityscape with the color and curves of a tortilla. But move closer to the lights, and playfulness suddenly gives way to a remarkable realization: the project sits in the heart of Tlatelolco, a plaza synonymous with Spanish destruction and Mexican dictatorship.