The Embassy of Mexico in Estonia and Finland presents the exhibition “Pluma y Plomo” in the Palm House of the Tallinn Botanical Gardens, featuring works by Mexican artist Emiliano Gironella. The exhibition consists of two parts. The first part of the exhibition will run from 11 June to 27 June, the second from 27 June to 18 July.

“Pluma y Plomo” is part of a larger project launched in 2019 to reassess the historical encounters between the Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II and the Spanish Captain General Hernán Cortés 500 years ago. Mexican artist Emiliano Gironella has created 30 xylographic artworks inspired by this historic encounter, with the aim of encouraging new generations to reflect on and interpret a crucial period of Mexican and Spanish history from a contemporary perspective.

The exhibition pays homage to the historic Mexican botanical garden tradition, which was already remarkable before it became popular elsewhere. When the Spaniards, led by Cortés, arrived in Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire, they encountered magnificent indoor and outdoor gardens containing native flowers, medicinal plants, fruits and unique animals cared for by Aztec nobles. This exhibition highlights the beauty and symbolism of Emiliano Gironella’s art in this historical context.

The exhibition came to the Tallinn Botanical Garden thanks to the Grupo Andrade Foundation, a Mexican foundation dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable children.

Visitors can view the exhibition daily until 18 July from 11.00-19.00 in the Palm House of the Tallinn Botanical Garden.