Two out of Three Falls, No Time Limit
A look at the artistic legacy of Mexican lucha libre through the writer Carlos Monsiváis
Fighters I by Francisco ToledoMuseo del Estanquillo
A Mexican art
Lucha libre (Mexican freestyle wrestling) is a spectacle that combines sport, drama, masks, and mystery.
Describing the indescribable
Few have been able to encapsulate the drama and action experienced inside the ring like the Mexican writer Carlos Monsiváis. His words are more than a chronicle – they are a glimpse into the soul of the sport.
Carta a Monsiváis (Unknown) by Francisco ToledoMuseo del Estanquillo
Windows of a writer
Here are some excerpts from Carlos Monsiváis and his romantic vision of lucha libre:
Postcard of the wrestler and actor Wolf Ruvinsky (1952) by Ravel Photo StudioMuseo del Estanquillo
"Lucha libre in Mexico City: the glory of the body slam, the fountain of references, the taste for the mask, that last prestigious stronghold of the face."
"We want blood! The Respectable Public grows excited. It is the sport and spectacle that always reinvents itself; where good and evil democratically share victories."
George Kotsonaros lifts Jack Dempsey at a wrestling show (1927-10-05) by International NewsreelMuseo del Estanquillo
"Tragedy interrupts at the last minute. 'Kill him! Finish him! Tear him apart!' And then, in an unexpected twist, go have dinner with him on the way to the next arena."
"It's not just the technical mastery in the ring, but the timed perfection of the clashes. The referee waits, observes, and takes up position on the final fall."
"In the 'Golden Age' of lucha libre, the audience creates rules and rituals. What they see is sport, but also theater in its most respectful sense."
The Killer Doctor (1955) by UnidentifiedMuseo del Estanquillo
"The body, even in excess, proposes integration and complicity. Expressions of agony become sculptural; an art born from contention."
Louis Ladjimi (1927) by UnidentifiedMuseo del Estanquillo
"The area of shouts becomes a stage. Shouts that describe the event, support the idol, and become echoes and sounds that inspire the continuity of generations in the ring."
"The chaos of lucha libre is unique: passionate, obscene but disciplined. Choreography also lends an order to the dance-like potential of disorder."
"Since the 1930s, lucha libre has been anonymous creativity, with temporary images that fly over the collective imagination."
Fighters IIMuseo del Estanquillo
An artist's eye
Carlos Monsiváis sees in Mexican lucha libre not just a sport, but passion and theater. The audience immerses themselves, the wrestlers dazzle with masks and dexterity. Amid shouts and chaos, this art encapsulates the essence of Mexico.<br>
These story was made with the support and collaboration of Museo del Estanquillo.
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