An unidentified man vandalized the exhibition “Collective Grief. Who are you crying for?” by artist Elena Martínez Bolio. The incident led the Palacio Cantón Regional Museum of Anthropology to file a complaint with the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE).
It is an installation that presents the clothing of 28 women victims of femicide, as well as 200 search files for other missing women and the land where they found the body of a girl.
In this regard, the director of the museum, Bernardo Sarvide Primo, commented that the events occurred last Wednesday, July 31, which he condemned due to the value of this exhibition that addresses the issue of femicide in Yucatán.
This person visited the exhibition and arrogantly presented a complaint to the Museum security and ticket office personnel, alleging that he was a lawyer for the family of the children who appeared in two of the exhibits. He demanded their removal.
Given this, he continued, the museum staff explained to the man that they were not authorized to remove anything from the exhibition. For this purpose, they explained he should address the matter through the correct channels, that is, with the museum management or with the artist herself.
The person did not provide his name or any information that would prove his identity or the truth of his statement since he did not show any identification or legal document to support it, the Museum director explained.
Sarvide Primo highlighted that the files in question correspond to two infants reported missing in 2020 and issued by the National Coordination of the AMBER Mexico Alert Program, which is still valid on the official FGE website.
It is also important to mention that all the materials in the exhibition are public, such as the AMBER Alerts, or come from people who consent to be in the exhibition. The artist was careful with the entire process since both she and we at the museum are aware that they are sensitive materials.
During the incident, he said, the person caused distractions, entered the room, and damaged one of the fabrics with printed files, affecting a cultural asset protected in a public and federal instance. An exhibition that addresses such delicate topics as gender violence, missing women, and femicides can generate various reactions. The exhibition intends to promote empathy, awareness, dialogue, and non-violence, clarified.
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