A Taste of Art
Holistika
Tulum has a vibrant and growing mural scene with the work of both local and international artists. Murals of countless styles are popping up all over the Mexican town that lies on the Yucatan Peninsula, telling us a lot about what is happening in Tulum.
Tulum is the current hotspot for those wanting to explore the Mayan Riviera. The trendy township is awash with new murals, as urban artists fall for its laidback charm and travel from around the world to emblazon their talents on its bare walls. Tulum's street art scene only adds to its appeal as an alternative tourism hub, fit for backpackers, cultural travellers, creatives and luxury eco-wanderers alike.
Today we will take a lot at some of the most prominent murals located in the town center.
R O N Ʒɔ̐
Ronald Quintero, better known as R O N Ʒɔ̐, originally is from Venezuela. Now the artists lives in Playa Del Carmen and makes the murals for different project. The artist founds his inspiration in the nature. Many animals are in Ron's mural..
The mural Mermaid & Diver was made in Tulum for the Las hijas de las tostadas
Today we will take a lot at some of the most prominent murals located in the town center.
R O N Ʒɔ̐
Ronald Quintero, better known as R O N Ʒɔ̐, originally is from Venezuela. Now the artists lives in Playa Del Carmen and makes the murals for different project. The artist founds his inspiration in the nature. Many animals are in Ron's mural..
The mural Mermaid & Diver was made in Tulum for the Las hijas de las tostadas
R O N Ʒɔ̐
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theanunaki/
Andrew Mack / Jouxart
Andrew Mack a.k.a Joux was born in Orange County, California. At 6 years old his mother with him and his sister moved to Switzerland. Andrew began to draw inspiration from cartoons he'd watch with his sister, but soon he got his inspiration from nature, the streets, and even the artwork he'd see on passing trains.
Andrew starting painting graffiti back in 2003. He had truly found his self-worth, and a place where he felt at home within the graffiti community. He did all of this while also maintaining work as the carpenter. Later the artist moved back to the United States where he started to develop more his life as the graffiti artist and designer.
His works are characterized by the use of catchphrases and vivid colors. The realistic characters inhabit across the different countries, each telling their own story.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theanunaki/
Andrew Mack / Jouxart
Andrew Mack a.k.a Joux was born in Orange County, California. At 6 years old his mother with him and his sister moved to Switzerland. Andrew began to draw inspiration from cartoons he'd watch with his sister, but soon he got his inspiration from nature, the streets, and even the artwork he'd see on passing trains.
Andrew starting painting graffiti back in 2003. He had truly found his self-worth, and a place where he felt at home within the graffiti community. He did all of this while also maintaining work as the carpenter. Later the artist moved back to the United States where he started to develop more his life as the graffiti artist and designer.
His works are characterized by the use of catchphrases and vivid colors. The realistic characters inhabit across the different countries, each telling their own story.
Jouxart
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joux_co/
MONK.E
When the wall disappear.
This painting is inspired from a picture I took in Cowdung ghetto in Kampala, Uganda. The young brothers of the football team Warrior Stars of Cowdung gathered at the wall I was painting on the side of their football field. I just stepped back from painting and took a picture of them observing my work. The power they held was undeniable. I prayed I could share that moment, that feeling with my other audiences. So I did. I decided to paint them here in Tulum, so my divers communities can look at each other, face to face. The wall disappeared, the author too. Now it s people looking at people. Racism, xenophobia, ignorance, misrepresentation or misunderstanding are all obstacle to us being truly one. As a human family, as a oneness of action in favor of justice and goodness. The wall disappeared. Let s look at each other.
This post is synchronised with Ugandan elections, not as a political message but as a tool of prayer to send love and providence towards friends and family that are ungoing hostiles and unsecure moments. Mukama Akwé Omukissa family.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joux_co/
MONK.E
When the wall disappear.
This painting is inspired from a picture I took in Cowdung ghetto in Kampala, Uganda. The young brothers of the football team Warrior Stars of Cowdung gathered at the wall I was painting on the side of their football field. I just stepped back from painting and took a picture of them observing my work. The power they held was undeniable. I prayed I could share that moment, that feeling with my other audiences. So I did. I decided to paint them here in Tulum, so my divers communities can look at each other, face to face. The wall disappeared, the author too. Now it s people looking at people. Racism, xenophobia, ignorance, misrepresentation or misunderstanding are all obstacle to us being truly one. As a human family, as a oneness of action in favor of justice and goodness. The wall disappeared. Let s look at each other.
This post is synchronised with Ugandan elections, not as a political message but as a tool of prayer to send love and providence towards friends and family that are ungoing hostiles and unsecure moments. Mukama Akwé Omukissa family.
MONK.E
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monke_k6a/
Linda Kocher
Linda Kchr is an illustrator and graphic designer traveling between Geneva, Brussels and Mexico. After studying at the Haute Ecole d'Art et de Design de Genève (HEAD), she continued to nurture her inspiration by moving to Mexico. She makes drawings of nude characters, multiple and different, bringing a vision of the beauty of the body uninhibited, healthy and plural.
Linda created the mural in the center town this year
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monke_k6a/
Linda Kocher
Linda Kchr is an illustrator and graphic designer traveling between Geneva, Brussels and Mexico. After studying at the Haute Ecole d'Art et de Design de Genève (HEAD), she continued to nurture her inspiration by moving to Mexico. She makes drawings of nude characters, multiple and different, bringing a vision of the beauty of the body uninhibited, healthy and plural.
Linda created the mural in the center town this year
Linda Kocher
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindakchr/
Yescka
The street artist Yescka originally from Oaxaca finds inspiration in graffiti art, history and tradition, mixing up several techniques such as collage, graffiti, stencil, painting, and drawing.
Successfully blending old and new practices, he screen prints and hand-paints backgrounds, subsequently adding graffiti elements . His pieces cover street walls all around the globe.
This mural was made in order to dignify the lives of migrants. This mural is dedicated to Victoria, a Central American woman, who was murdered at the hands of the police at the beginning of this year in Tulum.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindakchr/
Yescka
The street artist Yescka originally from Oaxaca finds inspiration in graffiti art, history and tradition, mixing up several techniques such as collage, graffiti, stencil, painting, and drawing.
Successfully blending old and new practices, he screen prints and hand-paints backgrounds, subsequently adding graffiti elements . His pieces cover street walls all around the globe.
This mural was made in order to dignify the lives of migrants. This mural is dedicated to Victoria, a Central American woman, who was murdered at the hands of the police at the beginning of this year in Tulum.
Yescka
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yescka_art/
MONKE.E AND NIOOR
After a nice roadtrip to Akumal beach and its abandonned mini neighbourhood destroyed by a tropical storm, @nioor_vazquez and I rolled back to Tulum for a nice collaboration. The inner sight.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yescka_art/
MONKE.E AND NIOOR
After a nice roadtrip to Akumal beach and its abandonned mini neighbourhood destroyed by a tropical storm, @nioor_vazquez and I rolled back to Tulum for a nice collaboration. The inner sight.
MONK.E
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monke_k6a/
NIOOR
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/nioor_vazquez/
Spaik
Spaik is a Mexican urban artist whose colourful works are inspired by the Latin American folklore. He works mainly in Mexico but has also done murals in other countries in both Central and South America.
In his paintings Spaik uses topics related to local traditions and makes mythical references of traditional stories. Presently, he is earning a Bachelor Title in Film Studies at the Mexican Institute of Cinematographic and Humanistic Research (IMICH) in the city of Morelia, Michoacan in Mexico. The artist uses everything spray cans, rollers, brushes and lately I have been experimenting with mosaic and other digitals tools to make video mappings in buildings.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monke_k6a/
NIOOR
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/nioor_vazquez/
Spaik
Spaik is a Mexican urban artist whose colourful works are inspired by the Latin American folklore. He works mainly in Mexico but has also done murals in other countries in both Central and South America.
In his paintings Spaik uses topics related to local traditions and makes mythical references of traditional stories. Presently, he is earning a Bachelor Title in Film Studies at the Mexican Institute of Cinematographic and Humanistic Research (IMICH) in the city of Morelia, Michoacan in Mexico. The artist uses everything spray cans, rollers, brushes and lately I have been experimenting with mosaic and other digitals tools to make video mappings in buildings.
Spaik
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spaik45/
COONEY WERKS
Chicago based mural artist, designer Brendan Cooney aka Cooney Works this year arrived to Tulum to produce the new murals. The mural "The gift that keeps giving" 8ft by 20ft spray paint mural on stucco. This piece embodies the beauty of psylocibyn as the gift of sacred medicine and reaching ones "Higher self". Mushrooms have made massive strides in the last few years, now being accepted for medicinal use in parts of the country to help with depression and heal trauma. Mushrooms have been a big part of my life and continue to open new doors of creativity and grow my relationship and love for nature.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spaik45/
COONEY WERKS
Chicago based mural artist, designer Brendan Cooney aka Cooney Works this year arrived to Tulum to produce the new murals. The mural "The gift that keeps giving" 8ft by 20ft spray paint mural on stucco. This piece embodies the beauty of psylocibyn as the gift of sacred medicine and reaching ones "Higher self". Mushrooms have made massive strides in the last few years, now being accepted for medicinal use in parts of the country to help with depression and heal trauma. Mushrooms have been a big part of my life and continue to open new doors of creativity and grow my relationship and love for nature.
Cooney Werks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cooney_werks/
Emma Rubens, Felipe Cespedes and Antonia Mùnera
Mural in homage to Pablo Canché Balam, Cabo, Chiclero and one of the Mayan founders of Tulum of the Maya Cruso'ob community, inspired by his favorite portrait taken in 1988 by Photographer Macduff Everton from the book Los Mayas Contemporáneos. Currently his family continues to inhabit this territory, preserving its traditions and culture despite the accelerated expansion of tourism in the area. Collaboration with Felipe Cespedes & Antonia Mùnera.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cooney_werks/
Emma Rubens, Felipe Cespedes and Antonia Mùnera
Mural in homage to Pablo Canché Balam, Cabo, Chiclero and one of the Mayan founders of Tulum of the Maya Cruso'ob community, inspired by his favorite portrait taken in 1988 by Photographer Macduff Everton from the book Los Mayas Contemporáneos. Currently his family continues to inhabit this territory, preserving its traditions and culture despite the accelerated expansion of tourism in the area. Collaboration with Felipe Cespedes & Antonia Mùnera.
Emma Rubens: https://www.instagram.com/emmarubens/
Felipe Cespedes:https://www.instagram.com/felipecespedesart/
Antonia Mùnera: https://www.instagram.com/antoniamunera/
Nikov
Buenos Aires based street artist Nicolas Valeiras aka Nikov has been making quite a splash of the Argentinian street art scene with his artworks that incorporate bright colors throughout his compositions.
In Tulum he painted the mural called Ki Ki Kuxtal. Ki Ki Kuxtal can be translated from Maya as "Tasty Life", "Rich Life" or "Good Life". Kikov used the photo of a young photographer Brisa Sanchez picturing the life of the women in U kuuchil K Ch'i'balo'on Community Center.
Through his works he tells a story of the people living around Tulum.
Felipe Cespedes:https://www.instagram.com/felipecespedesart/
Antonia Mùnera: https://www.instagram.com/antoniamunera/
Nikov
Buenos Aires based street artist Nicolas Valeiras aka Nikov has been making quite a splash of the Argentinian street art scene with his artworks that incorporate bright colors throughout his compositions.
In Tulum he painted the mural called Ki Ki Kuxtal. Ki Ki Kuxtal can be translated from Maya as "Tasty Life", "Rich Life" or "Good Life". Kikov used the photo of a young photographer Brisa Sanchez picturing the life of the women in U kuuchil K Ch'i'balo'on Community Center.
Through his works he tells a story of the people living around Tulum.
Nikov
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nico.valeiras/
Emma Rubens
One of the most popular works made by Emma is the mural 'El Pajarito', the artist painted in 2019 for the urban art festival 'F.A.T' organized by TINASAH. She painted an elderly Mayan gentleman called 'El Pajarito' who's been living in Tulum for years. Emma wanted to represent the real original people from the town.
As the artist tells in the interviews to Bleu & Blanc journal that she wanted to capture someone who was really part of the town. "El Pajarito" is a man who hardly speaks Spanish, only Mayan and who has been living in Tulum forever. Although many people see him, nobody really notices him, every day he goes through the streets with a cart in which he collects cans to recycle and he always goes with a smile. Emma felt that he deserved to be painted on a wall in the place where he has spent most of his life.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nico.valeiras/
Emma Rubens
One of the most popular works made by Emma is the mural 'El Pajarito', the artist painted in 2019 for the urban art festival 'F.A.T' organized by TINASAH. She painted an elderly Mayan gentleman called 'El Pajarito' who's been living in Tulum for years. Emma wanted to represent the real original people from the town.
As the artist tells in the interviews to Bleu & Blanc journal that she wanted to capture someone who was really part of the town. "El Pajarito" is a man who hardly speaks Spanish, only Mayan and who has been living in Tulum forever. Although many people see him, nobody really notices him, every day he goes through the streets with a cart in which he collects cans to recycle and he always goes with a smile. Emma felt that he deserved to be painted on a wall in the place where he has spent most of his life.
Emma Rubens
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmarubens/
Val Aurea and Alaniz
The collaboration wall "Unidad". Tulum is a little town in the Mexican Caribe. For the past years this tiny village have become a tourist paradise, developing and getting gentrified on an alarmatic level. The new era hipsters pseudo gurues carrying their yoga matraze keep on coming, prices on everything are growing faster than people's salaries, and the original inhabitants are the one suffering the most out of this situation.
The fact is that this changes are inevitable. As with refugees in other countries, there isn't any other chance but to cooperate between the visitors and the locals, to make the best out of this cultural encounter. A bright future is about connection, exchange, and understanding. That's my wish for Tulum, and all the places dealing with globalization.
'Union': by Valeria Navarrete and Alaniz This mural was designed according to what was happening in Tulum at the moment; many foreigners come to live to Tulum. The melting pot is growing. We chose to depict this growth in a positive manner: the union of foreigners and the local Mayan people.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmarubens/
Val Aurea and Alaniz
The collaboration wall "Unidad". Tulum is a little town in the Mexican Caribe. For the past years this tiny village have become a tourist paradise, developing and getting gentrified on an alarmatic level. The new era hipsters pseudo gurues carrying their yoga matraze keep on coming, prices on everything are growing faster than people's salaries, and the original inhabitants are the one suffering the most out of this situation.
The fact is that this changes are inevitable. As with refugees in other countries, there isn't any other chance but to cooperate between the visitors and the locals, to make the best out of this cultural encounter. A bright future is about connection, exchange, and understanding. That's my wish for Tulum, and all the places dealing with globalization.
'Union': by Valeria Navarrete and Alaniz This mural was designed according to what was happening in Tulum at the moment; many foreigners come to live to Tulum. The melting pot is growing. We chose to depict this growth in a positive manner: the union of foreigners and the local Mayan people.
Val Aurea: https://www.instagram.com/val_aurea/
Alaniz: https://www.instagram.com/alanizart/
Emma Rubens
Emma Rubens is the most renowned mural and canvas artist living in Tulum. The impact that her works make is far from away breathtaking, the details even more so. The visual composition, the wide spectrum of colors, the portraits of the locals are one of the characteristic for Ruben's work.
Being born in London, England, Emma moved to Tulum 14 years ago. Born into an artist family, she have been painting all her life. When she arrived to Tulum, she was making portraits of backpackers staying at a hostel where she worked as a waitress. It was in 2014 when she received the first opportunity that opened the doors to urban art.
Her fascination by the human figure and portraiture are represented in her countless pieces all over the town.
Alaniz: https://www.instagram.com/alanizart/
Emma Rubens
Emma Rubens is the most renowned mural and canvas artist living in Tulum. The impact that her works make is far from away breathtaking, the details even more so. The visual composition, the wide spectrum of colors, the portraits of the locals are one of the characteristic for Ruben's work.
Being born in London, England, Emma moved to Tulum 14 years ago. Born into an artist family, she have been painting all her life. When she arrived to Tulum, she was making portraits of backpackers staying at a hostel where she worked as a waitress. It was in 2014 when she received the first opportunity that opened the doors to urban art.
Her fascination by the human figure and portraiture are represented in her countless pieces all over the town.
A mural in the streets of Tulum dedicated to Santiago, Cristina and Javiercito.
"Play the Wall". Its an important collaboration of Emma Rubens with Valeria Navarrete, with who she created the mural "Play the wall", a work of four children playing on a wall. We will always find a way to play, despite borders.'Play the Wall': one of the biggest murals in Tulum painted by Emma Rubens and Valeria Navarette depicts children that actually live in Tulum. The artists know the children personally. This mural expresses the freedom and joy that children can teach us, and was represented for our borders situation we have in the world: "We will always find a way to play, despite borders".
The projects to follow
"T.I.N.A.S.A.H".
Tinasah is an artist collective born in Tulum, responsible for most of the amazing murals you can admire on Tulum walls. They are also the driving force behind F.A.T. (Festival Arte Tinasah), an independent project aimed at enhancing Tulum's urbanscape. Tinasah murals talk about social integration and nature preservation, two of the hottest topics right now in Tulum.
Tinasah, a local art collective with the mission to make Tulum the capital of street art in Mexico, is behind much of the art in town. Tinasah overcomes the difficulties of creating street art in Tulum and uses its platform to promote conversations about social integration and caring for the environment. Many of their murals tell stories of Mayan culture and legend, day-to-day life in Tulum, and the town's grappling with the growing tourism industry. I noticed many pieces about our relationship with technology and how — for better or for worse — they've become a central part of our lives.
Generally, making murals in Tulum is in itself quite a challenge, comparing to other places of the world specially because of the strong sun and heat…our lack of stable strong scaffolding, lack of funds to rent lifts etc. We have several murals that have been huge challenges.
Tinasah interview on EssentialTulum.com
At the beginning of 2018 a group of artists got together to create an art proyect called "Tinasah" or "This is not a street art house". Tinasah was born from the need to create a place for arts in Tulum Mexico. After many years of seeing how elitist the graffiti/street/urban art scene have become, that walls respond more to the interest of the ones sponsoring it than to the ones creating it. That either you are part of this nation of urban rockstars or you are nobody, that the "hype" took over the "real thing" and that to be successful is more important than the creative search, that you must "repeat the same style until people recognize you".
Because of all of that, we made Tinasah, an art collective, a house residency for artists, a shared working space, a mural festival, a state of mind, a way of seeing life, a break out of this commercialised life that is imposed over us. We want you to do the same, don't expect someone to bring you opportunities, create them and share. I will keep you updated about the upcoming events, in the meantime I invite you to check our Ig @tinasahouse
In 2019 organized F.A.T (Festival Arte TINASAH). We are painting 12 new murals during the course of 12 weeks in the town center, 1 mural a week. We are an independent organization sponsored by the local people and businesses of Tulum.
Our objective is to promote and cultivate an environment of learning, expression and exchange through muralism executed by local and international artists. We love what we do, it fills us with joy, and we want to continue sharing this feeling with the community.
We are half way through our project and we are continuing to raise funds to help provide us with more paint, scaffolding, materials etc.
If you are a lover of urban art and would like to participate as a sponsor in the event, please visit our website and click on the link below. https://tinasah.com/f-a-t-festival-arte-tinasah/
We are already so grateful and indebted for all the help and sponsorship we have received, everything we have completed so far has been thanks to you!!
Below are some images of the process so far
Please follow us on instagram as @fattulum or on facebook as 'F.A.T Festival Arte Tinasah'
"T.I.N.A.S.A.H".
Tinasah is an artist collective born in Tulum, responsible for most of the amazing murals you can admire on Tulum walls. They are also the driving force behind F.A.T. (Festival Arte Tinasah), an independent project aimed at enhancing Tulum's urbanscape. Tinasah murals talk about social integration and nature preservation, two of the hottest topics right now in Tulum.
Tinasah, a local art collective with the mission to make Tulum the capital of street art in Mexico, is behind much of the art in town. Tinasah overcomes the difficulties of creating street art in Tulum and uses its platform to promote conversations about social integration and caring for the environment. Many of their murals tell stories of Mayan culture and legend, day-to-day life in Tulum, and the town's grappling with the growing tourism industry. I noticed many pieces about our relationship with technology and how — for better or for worse — they've become a central part of our lives.
Generally, making murals in Tulum is in itself quite a challenge, comparing to other places of the world specially because of the strong sun and heat…our lack of stable strong scaffolding, lack of funds to rent lifts etc. We have several murals that have been huge challenges.
Tinasah interview on EssentialTulum.com
At the beginning of 2018 a group of artists got together to create an art proyect called "Tinasah" or "This is not a street art house". Tinasah was born from the need to create a place for arts in Tulum Mexico. After many years of seeing how elitist the graffiti/street/urban art scene have become, that walls respond more to the interest of the ones sponsoring it than to the ones creating it. That either you are part of this nation of urban rockstars or you are nobody, that the "hype" took over the "real thing" and that to be successful is more important than the creative search, that you must "repeat the same style until people recognize you".
Because of all of that, we made Tinasah, an art collective, a house residency for artists, a shared working space, a mural festival, a state of mind, a way of seeing life, a break out of this commercialised life that is imposed over us. We want you to do the same, don't expect someone to bring you opportunities, create them and share. I will keep you updated about the upcoming events, in the meantime I invite you to check our Ig @tinasahouse
In 2019 organized F.A.T (Festival Arte TINASAH). We are painting 12 new murals during the course of 12 weeks in the town center, 1 mural a week. We are an independent organization sponsored by the local people and businesses of Tulum.
Our objective is to promote and cultivate an environment of learning, expression and exchange through muralism executed by local and international artists. We love what we do, it fills us with joy, and we want to continue sharing this feeling with the community.
We are half way through our project and we are continuing to raise funds to help provide us with more paint, scaffolding, materials etc.
If you are a lover of urban art and would like to participate as a sponsor in the event, please visit our website and click on the link below. https://tinasah.com/f-a-t-festival-arte-tinasah/
We are already so grateful and indebted for all the help and sponsorship we have received, everything we have completed so far has been thanks to you!!
Below are some images of the process so far
Please follow us on instagram as @fattulum or on facebook as 'F.A.T Festival Arte Tinasah'
Tulum Art Club
This one-of-a-kind space opened in downtown Tulum in early 2016 and is dedicated to arts and culture. There's a café with seating in the front, and the gallery is behind it, with art for sale on the walls and on sliding dividers. Most of the art (paintings, sketches, photographs, graphic art) is from an artists' residency program the owners have been running on the beach for six years, with a mix of international and local artists. There's also a lofted workspace that can be rented out. The Tulum Art Club hosts weekly rotating events: drink and draws (exactly what it sounds like) on Tuesday; movie screenings on Wednesday; and live music, lectures, and other events on Thursday and on weekends. This is a fantastic place to meet artists and like-minded locals. And finally, there's a one-room hotel on the second floor (available on Airbnb) so visiting artists can stay in the middle of the action.
Tulum Artist Residency
https://www.instagram.com/residenciagorila/
This one-of-a-kind space opened in downtown Tulum in early 2016 and is dedicated to arts and culture. There's a café with seating in the front, and the gallery is behind it, with art for sale on the walls and on sliding dividers. Most of the art (paintings, sketches, photographs, graphic art) is from an artists' residency program the owners have been running on the beach for six years, with a mix of international and local artists. There's also a lofted workspace that can be rented out. The Tulum Art Club hosts weekly rotating events: drink and draws (exactly what it sounds like) on Tuesday; movie screenings on Wednesday; and live music, lectures, and other events on Thursday and on weekends. This is a fantastic place to meet artists and like-minded locals. And finally, there's a one-room hotel on the second floor (available on Airbnb) so visiting artists can stay in the middle of the action.
Tulum Artist Residency
https://www.instagram.com/residenciagorila/