I found this amazing mural on the way from Mazunte’s town center Rinconcito to Punta Cometa, the nearby hill offering a spectacular view of both sunrise and sunset. It was painted by Razul, a tatoo artist from Colombia, who spent some time here in Mazunte last year. Manuel from Itínera had the pleasure to meet her in person, and another friend of ours had her put a jaguar on his biceps. Although I am not familiar with her tattoo art, this mural she left on one of the most prominent walls in Mazunte clearly shows her artistic talent.
The image is of a native woman wearing the ceremonial headdress of an eagle warrior, an important figure in Aztec military. Even though the local region is of Zapotec culture, and the role of the eagle warrior was reserved for men, this picture beautifully captures naturally inspired native imagery.
My favorite aspect of this mural is that it has been painted on a retaining wall. This is not only because I’ve been talking, thinking and dreaming about retaining walls so much myself lately. Much rather, it is because the image was painted on two walls, the upper one being a bit further back to support the mountain. As a result, the upper and lower parts of the image do not always line up, as the viewer walks past. In fact, there is no optimal angle, at least not one that can be accessed without hovering in the air, out past the cliff. The way this photo was taken, the eagle’s head matches up, but the circular design in the back doesn’t. As a result, you can see people walking back and forth looking at it, trying to find the ideal point of view.
If you liked this, check out my developing series on Mexican murals:
- A Cartoon with a Public Health Message
- Murals Under Periferico
- Murals of the Barrio in Aguascalientes
- Respected and Less Respected Paintings
- Under Metro Line 4
- ChaliaKiller's – Murals, Chilaquiles, and Lots More
- A Familiar Face
- Political Expression: the Painting is on the Wall
- Different Types of Wall Paintings
- The Beauty of Death and the Struggle of Life
- Winston Churchill and the Bike Movement