ART AND CULTURE FOR ALL TO SEE
Hola again my fellow foodies! If you’ve done a tour with me or know me a little bit you might know that I consider myself an artist first and foremost. Art is what brought me to Riviera Maya. I came to Playa del Carmen in 2012 to make and play music, but I’d never been here before so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
What I found was a land full of artists of all kinds, not only musicians but painters, actors, dancers, photographers, writers, performers, and things I never imagined. Having all of these creative people from different corners of the world makes these shores overflow with art.
Credit: Juan Manzanera
You don’t need an artist’s sensibility to notice it either, and today I’m here to talk about one of the most noticeable forms of art in the R.M.: STREET ART.
Credit: Juan Manzanera
From Holbox to Bacalar, the walls in all the little towns of the Mayan Riviera are being infested by the most beautiful and impressive murals, depicting hundreds of different ideas and cultures.
Credit: https://www.travelreport.mx/
Although these impressive and massive pieces of art are trending in this day and age, muralism has been an important form of expression in Mexico since the 20th century.
You know I love to geek out on history and stuff, so here we go!
20TH CENTURY MEXICAN MURALISM
The early 20th century was a time for a change in a lot of places around the globe, of course, our dear and beloved México was no exception.
After the Revolución, José Vasconselos, a renowned lawyer, writer, and philosopher, was appointed as Minister of Education. He found out that 90% of the national population was illiterate, and he figured that a great way of educating these people was through pictures. So, he helped sponsor a new breed of painters led by Gerardo Murillo A.K.A Dr. Atl, to create a new artistic current that would show new values to the Mexican society of the new century.
Credit: https://sanchezcortesivan.files.wordpress.com/
The movement was inspired by social ideals of the Revolution, helping build a new national identity, where the original indigenous peoples of Mexico and their cultures were exalted in impressive pieces instead of being considered lesser than the Spanish descendants that had been ruling before.
Credit: https://mnh.inah.gob.mx
There are many important names in the list of artists that contributed to create this new mexican identity that recognizes the cultural heritage of the original population of these lands, but perhaps the three with the most international recognition are: David A. Siqueiros, José C. Orozco and of course Diego Rivera.
Credit: https://i.pinimg.com/originals
Modern day Mexican society owes a lot to these intellectual artists of the last century, nowadays the aesthetics and ideas of the ancient prehispanic Mexican cultures are influencing even the highest fashion halls in the world. There have been movies that showcase these ancient traditions to new generations all over the globe, and this would not be a reality without the ideological revolution pushed by these muralists a hundred years ago.
Just think about it: the term Riviera Maya would never have been adopted by a society that does not value or cares about Mayan culture.
Credit: https://verne.elpais.com/
EL HONGO, BARRIO CULTURAL
I’ve been wanting to feature El Hongo in this Blog for a while, simply because it’s straight-up my favorite place in Playa, and those who know me know I don’t use that term lightly.
Why does it make sense to do it here? Well, because my taste for Street Art Murals and all I know about the movement comes from this place.
Credit: Juan Manzanera
Located in Ejido Sur in my dear Playa del Carmen, El Hongo (The Mushroom) is a restaurant and cultural center, they make the most delicious Comida Jarocha and give free art workshops to the kids of the community. Gregorio Aguilera, owner and founder, Goyo as his friends know him, an artists himself, has for 9 years been working in what he calls Barrio Cultural or Cultural ‘Hood, creating a positive impact in the community of Ejido Sur by giving a great example to the kids and their families.
Credit: https://planeterra.org/
The whole place is covered with murals and art. In a way it’s a hub for the artist community in Playa, I’ve seen artists drawn to this place like flies to honey. So naturally, a lot of Street Artists know good ol’ Goyo, and all the time he’s helping them find walls to work on all around the hood, making Ejido Sur now famous for its murals. Of course, there is no wondering why you often see mushrooms in a lot of the pieces around this area.
Credit: Juan Manzanera
Every time my brother comes visiting from Mexico City we go grab lunch here and then take a walk around and see what new murals can be found as well as visiting old favorite ones (if they’re still there). He once said, “Everytime I come I love to see how El Hongo, as fungi do, keeps spreading through the hood.”
Credit: Juan Manzanera
Credit: Juan Manzanera
SENKOE
Credit: https://luxurycolumnist.com
The first time I saw a wall by my now friend, Senkoe, it was next to El Hongo. His style seemed very unique to me, but at the same time, very Mexican. This is the piece I’m talking about:
Credit: https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com
Right after that I started seeing his work everywhere, all over Playa del Carmen. I’ve often told him he’s my favourite Can-Star, and in my own personal opinion if you want to talk about the street art scene in Playa, there’s a before and after Senkoe. When he got here around 2014 he changed the game with his colorful, breathtaking, ginormous pieces.
Credit: https://murostreetart.com
In his style he fuses prehispanic art with oneiric concepts, and because of this particular style he has been taking Mexican culture to different corners of the planet. Senkoe’s art has given him the opportunity to travel to different places in México, U.S., Canada, and all the way to India and South-Pacific Asia.
Credit: https://www.isupportstreetart.com
Credit: https://murostreetart.com
If you’ve been around Playa or Tulum there’s a high chance you’ve seen something by him or in the worst case, something by a new artist copying his style. (yeah, that happens…)
Credit: https://www.isupportstreetart.com
PINTA O MUERE
Credit: https://quintafuerza.mx/quintana-roo
In 2021, it is reaaally hard to do a blog post about Street Art in Riviera Maya without it being almost entirely about them, and it would be so incomplete without any mention of this powerful movement. There are, without exaggeration, hundreds of murals in Quintana Roo with the now famous tag: PINTA O MUERE (Paint or Die).
I throw a challenge to our foodies on the Authentic Local Experience to count how many times they see this tag along our route, there are plenty.
Credit: Eating With Carmen Food Tours
Credit: Eating With Carmen Food Tours
Started in 2017 by Ricardo Conde, Pinta o Muere is a collective of street artists on a mission to cover the Mayan Riviera with Art.
Conde started in his teens doing illegal graffiti on the walls of Mexico City streets, this path that almost took him to jail is where he learned and honed his art. After getting caught “vandalizing” the subway tunnels he was given a choice, joining the Navy or a six year sentence in a federal prison.
After his time in the navy he came to the Riviera to work in the touristic industry and started to do muralism, the legal way, and also helping other artists not only get walls to do art on legally, but also budget for them
Credit: https://pbs.twimg.com
He created a collective that has done several workshops in many Mayan communities and small towns of the R.M. as well as a lot of neighborhoods in the main cities like Cancún, Playa, Cozumel and Tulum.
Credit: https://www.facebook.com/pintaomueremx
There are many different artists with different backgrounds and styles, but they all proudly represent Mexican culture, and their hard work – because painting outside in the Caribbean weather is heavy labor! – is step by step turning what was considered illegal vandalism into local identity and art
Credit: https://www.facebook.com/pintaomueremx
By unifying under a single banner, Pinta o Muere has taken hold of the market, being now the number one choice for resorts, hotels, bars and restaurants when it comes to getting an amazing mural done on their walls, and this trend keeps growing more and more. This has also started to strengthen the local economy a lot, by giving artists a way of living and by making a lot of small businesses way more noticeable.
Credit: https://www.facebook.com/pintaomueremx
Their name might seem a bit strong at first glance, but it represents an ideal. It’s not a threat: Do this or You’re dead. It’s a realization of purpose: Do what you came to this life to do, or else, you’re not really living.
Credit: https://www.facebook.com/pintaomueremx
ART IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
What is art? I’m not gonna get into that ordeal one single bit. I leave you alone to decide that by yourself. Is every single graffiti tag a piece of street art? In a world where a banana taped to a canvas is worth millions in a posh art gallery, I honestly do not care about what anyone but myself consider as art, and I strongly suggest you do the same.
What is not questionable is that there are a lot of colors and textures to behold on the walls of the Riviera, call them art, call them doodles, but do take the time to explore and judge by yourself. Take into account that the weather won’t allow them to be there forever so embrace the present moment and cherish it, for tomorrow everything will have changed.
Credit: Eating With Carmen Food Tours
Few other forms of art are so accessible to everyone as street art. Muralism is a massive art form for the masses, and it has been telling the story of my country for over a century. Take a look and you might learn a thing or two.
Credit: Juan Manzanera
Credit: Juan Manzanera
Let us know if you’ve seen any of these pieces during your time over here, and which one was your favorite, as always I bid you farewell.
Hasta la vista amigos!
- The Juan and Only
