October 5, 2019
I’ve previously posted photos of Tepoztlan wall art. This is a small selection of things that have appeared in recent months, or that I never noticed before. Most of it has no specific intent, beyond being beguiling.
And some of it has intentions that I can barely guess. But a huge part of all modern Mexican visual art is to create a sense of intriguing mystery.
An ant, painted on the bandstand outside the Church of the Holy Spirit. There are so many armies of different kinds of ants here, they’ve become emblematic of the area. And for some reason, perhaps for their untiring industriousness, they’re often shown on churches or structures associated with them.
The make-up on this boy’s face echoes the traditional figure of Tezcatlipoca, the dark alter-ego of the Plumed Serpent, Quetzalcoatl. His expression isn’t that menacing, but he certainly isn’t entirely innocent of some kind of mischief.
There are no hippos around here – honest. This one almost disappears into the vegetation around it. Why did the artist choose this animal? Because he or she wanted to, that’s all.
I have no idea. And I can’t read the 3-D letters. Can anybody else? Either way, it’s an arresting image.
This is a favourite. It’s on the front wall of a small hotel in town.
A serpent’s head, in the typical style used on many temples throughout central Mexico.
Mexed Messages 