Memory Map II: Mexico City, Mexico /
Annotated map of the Zócalo
Mexico City, 2008
The »Zocaló« is the central square in Mexico City, framed by the Palacio Nacional, the government seat, and the capital’s cathedral. Every day the Mexican flag is raised and the national anthem is played here.
From the roof garden of the Hotel Majestic I take a photo of the square and bring a large print of it to the gallery where I work. I ask the employees there to write their personal memories of Zocaló on the print.
And the secretary writes: here on the upper edge of the square, near the government building, I had my first kiss.
The technician writes: I sometimes came to the city with my grandparents when I was a child and we went walking in the square, and I always ate candy floss.
And the graphic designer writes: I always come here for the concerts.
The guard writes: here at the edge of the print, I was given a medallion years ago for being the guard of the month.
And a little girl writes: I learned how to ride my tricycle around the flagpole there.
That evening I take the print with me to the café, show it to the landlady and her daughter, I go into the fruit shop and ask the people what links them to the Zocaló and they come with me, an old woman has her daughter write for her: in 1958 this square was a park, and my mother had tied a ribbon round my waist so that I didn’t get lost.