CDMX Pandemium

Mexico City - Most Transpartent Region of the Air

Nominado en Fine Art Photography Awards 4th en la categoría de Arquitectura /
4th Fine Art Photography Awards nominee in Architecture category
https://fineartphotoawards.com/winners-gallery/fapa-2020-2021/professional/cityscape/hm/13545

 

 

Mexico City during covid 19 lockdown in may and june of 2020. It has been the months with less movement in the streets and public places.

The absence of cars and the spring rainstorms have cleaned the air, showing transparent and majestic views, observations that Alexander Humbolt wrote in 1804 about the tableland of Anahuac (México City) -...as the air through which the eye receives the rays is more rare and transparent…-, seconded by Alfonso Reyes in one of his books “Traveler, you have come to the most transparent region of the air”.

City-Landscapes with almost no human presence shows beautiful and rare postals of one of the most contaminated cities in the world.

 

*text by PC, translated to english by Iván Aguirre Chávez

 

 

     Bellas Artes - Sun 17:28 hrs


The square facing the Palacio de Bellas Artes, next to the Alameda Central (Mexico City’s own central park), looks empty during Mother’s Day on a Sunday at 5:28 pm. The busiest pedestrian-only street of Mexico, F. Madero St, at the center-right of the picture is also empty as well as Zócalo Square perceived at the center.



     Reforma - Tue 19:37 hrs

Paseo de la Reforma is the most emblematic avenue of Mexico City and the central artery of the business area. Any given Tuesday at 7:37 pm it would appear swarming with traffic. Even the Fountain of La Diana Cazadora is turned off.




     Centro SCOP - Sat 07:43 hrs

Centro SCOP is a government building constructed in the early 50's: a significant edification covered with several mosaic murals made by important Mexican muralists. It was evacuated after the earthquake of September 2017. Xola and Eje Central Avenues, usually loaded with traffic, are empty on a Saturday at 7:45 am. Iztaccihuatl and Popocatepetl volcanoes in the background complete the setting of an unusually clear morning.



  

     Tlalpan - Sat 07:22 hrs

Tlalpan Avenue is the most active roadway leading downtown Mexico City. In a very clear morning of a Saturday it is practically empty. We can see the mountains north of Mexico’s Valley framed by low clouds of a spring cold surge.



   

     Alberca Olímpica - Sat 18:51 hrs

The Francisco Márquez Olympic Pool is a public sports landmark of Mexico City, empty on a Saturday afternoon. Río Churubusco Expressway, usually loaded with cars, is almost empty.



   

     Tlatelolco - Tue 19:59 hrs

The Plaza de las Tres Culturas is an emblematic square located in a classic multifamily housing complex. It takes its name from the mixture of Mesoamerican, Colonial and modern buildings. Eje Central Avenue, one of the main connections between the north and south of Mexico City has very low transit on a Sunday at 7:59 pm in Covid 19's lockdown.



  

     Cuicuilco - Fri 19:17 hrs

Cuicuilco’s main pyramid was built between 600 and 800 BC, before Teotihuacan (200 BC - 750 AC) an Tenochtitlan (1325 -1521 AC). The name means “place of chants and dances”. It is located at south of Mexico City. Periferico Expressway is the main connection roadway of Mexico City, crossing it from north to south to east. A common Friday at 7:17 pm it would be a “car parking lot”.


     Tepeyac - Sun 19:26 hrs

Villa de Guadalupe’s Shrine is the most important and emblematic Catholic site of Mexico. The legendary apparition of the Virgen of Guadalupe to the humble shepherd Juan Diego is believed to have taken place on top of Tepeyac Hill. It is stunning to see the second most visited Catholic shrine of the World empty on a Sunday evening.
 

 


     Chapultepec - Tue 19:03 hrs

Bosque de Capultepec is Mexico City’s main lung. Located in the central western part of the city it is also one of the busiest urban sectors of the locality. The Periferico Expressway which flanks it is usually fully loaded with traffic in the evenings. The picture was taken on a Tuesday sunset during Covid19 lockdown. Chapulpetec Fairgrounds can also be appreciated, abandoned since 2019.