Museo de Arte Contemporáneo

The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, commonly known as MAC, is a modern art museum in Valdivia, southern Chile, operated by Universidad Austral de Chile. Founded in 1994, it stands as one of the first contemporary art museums in southern Chile, distinguished by its location on the ruins of the historic Anwandter Brewery along the Calle-Calle River. The museum serves as a cultural bridge between Santiago and the regions, aiming to decentralize cultural activity and foster artistic exchange through exhibitions spanning painting, graphics, sculpture, video art, multimedia, and installations.

The museum was founded in 1994 by Manfred Max-Neef, then rector of Universidad Austral de Chile, and the artist and teacher Hernán Miranda. The proposal emerged during a period of heightened cultural activity following Chile's transition to democracy. Miranda, together with architects Juan José Ugarte and Wren Strabucchi, identified the former Anwandter Brewery as the ideal site for a contemporary art institution. The founding decree marked the beginning of what became known as the "etapa 0" (stage 0), involving initial restoration of the building, which had fallen into disuse and deterioration. Three exhibition spaces were established: two hypostyle halls, a multimedia room, and areas for temporary exhibitions. The museum's inaugural exhibition, "Proyecto Valdivia," opened in January 1996 and featured works by prominent Chilean artists including Francisco Smythe and Gonzalo Mezza. Over subsequent decades, MAC Valdivia mounted nearly two hundred exhibitions, establishing itself as a reference point for contemporary art in southern Chile. Since mid-2019, the museum has undergone an extensive expansion and reconstruction project. Officially launched on June 6, 2019, the project entailed restoring 1,831.62 m² of the existing structure and adding 1,394 m² of new construction, including additional exhibition halls, administrative offices, restrooms, an auditorium, and a cafeteria. The work was undertaken through an agreement among the Los Ríos Regional Government, the Architecture Directorate of the Ministry of Public Works, and Universidad Austral de Chile. By 2021, progress had reached 37 percent, with initial efforts focused on stabilizing and restoring the historic sector. However, construction was halted in 2022 due to missing authorizations for certain project phases.

The museum's mission centers on hosting all forms of contemporary artistic expression through local, regional, national, and international exhibitions, both temporary and permanent. Its programming encompasses painting, graphic arts, sculpture, video art, multimedia, and installations. The institution has positioned itself as a platform for decentralizing cultural activity, creating space for art and artistic exchange between Chile's capital and its regional communities.

While the sources do not specify permanent collection holdings, the museum has hosted significant exhibitions featuring major Chilean and international figures. Artists who have exhibited at MAC include Nicanor Parra, the renowned poet and anti-poet, and Juan Francisco Salazar. The inaugural 1996 exhibition "Proyecto Valdivia" showcased works by Francisco Smythe and Gonzalo Mezza, signaling the museum's commitment to presenting established Chilean artists from its earliest days.

The museum occupies the site of the former Anwandter Brewery, originally constructed in 1851, which collapsed during the 1960 Valdivia earthquake. The building is situated on Isla Teja along the banks of the Calle-Calle River, embedding it within both the industrial heritage and riparian landscape of Valdivia. The structure's industrial archaeology provides unique patrimonial value to the institution. Architecturally, the infrastructure combines steel, masonry, and concrete. Its distinctive features include hypostyle halls located beneath the Isla Teja plane and above the Calle-Calle River plane, as well as two characteristic brick arch vaults from the original industrial building. The 2019 expansion introduced new reinforced concrete structures on solid foundations, with restoration work encompassing the historic vaults and existing exhibition spaces.

The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo is located in Valdivia, Chile, on Isla Teja along the Calle-Calle River. It is operated by Universidad Austral de Chile and owned by the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage. The museum's official website is http://www.macvaldivia.cl/. Due to the ongoing expansion and reconstruction project that began in 2019 and was halted in 2022, visitors should consult current information regarding access and opening hours.