Disco Magico; Todd Williams

The Disco Magico (Magic Disc) is one of the least often appreciated of the giant sculptures on the Ruta de la Amistad. This is mostly due to it’s placement well off of the main route, along the Periférico highway. Todd Williams’ work is within the Miguel Hidalgo Villa Olympica, just west of the Disco Solar. That one greets motorists passing along Insurgentes Sur.

• Todd Williams (1939-) studied at City College and the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He was recognized with several awards and fellowships in the USA and in Africa. Several of his outdoor works are still displayed publicly in New York.

The Disco Magico sculpture stands at some seven meters in height and was made from reinforced concrete. It’s the only work in the exhibit to present such a wide range of colors. Its three elements are joined to present something of an interior space, but the work acts almost as an abstract painting. It can, and should, be viewed from multiple angles and from varying distances.

It was built originally on the mound of concrete stone that refers to the nearby Cuicuilco ruins. The warm-up running tracks of the Olympic Village are still in use, by local runners. The work was restored in 2007 by the World Monuments Fund with support from the American Express company.