Op-Ed: Photo Essay: Colours of Mexico (Includes interview and first-hand account)

Probably nowhere on this Earth there’s better selection of colours than in Mexico. It’s always a questionable thing but on very general note this statement looks just like that.

Colourful interior of a hostel in Guanajuato, Mexico.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

Every single graphic design piece from Australia stands out from amongst any other countries. Crazily mixed flashy colours of Brazil can bring you vertigo (especially when moving in the rhythm of samba of the female part of population) and red and orange sands from Namibia can stop an average man and take his breath away for a while.

Colourful folk art, ceramics and leather on street display in Taxco (Guerrero), in world capital of silver, Mexico.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

So what about Mexico? Partly this question can be answered after visiting the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, surely the best museum in the world due to its original exhibitions. When visiting it, it’s obvious that the original inhabitants of Mesoamerica were very talented artists when using colour as strong element of any kind of art. Climate, mostly sunny and bright environment have contributed much to colour design.

Dolls in a gift shop in historic Coyoacan, Mexico City.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

Then significant designers came, Frida Kahlo, Rufino Tamayo, Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros and Pedro Linares, the creator of colourful alebrijes, to name a few, who influenced the art life in Mexico. But not only the big names; ordinary people – the way they paint their houses, restaurants and small coffee shops, for example, is far from ordinary and hard to find anywhere else.

La chica de bufandas, near Alameda Parque, Mexico City.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

Their holidays, events, fiestas, no matter if they are national, religious or just private ones with clothes and variety of masks are always colourful. Colours are everywhere – flowers on the markets, food in restaurants, pottery and things of everyday use.

Interior of a restaurant in Teotihuacan, Mexico.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

This photo essay shows variety of colours that can be found in Mexico everywhere although the shots were taken in selected places of that country. Sit back and enjoy!

Ceramic suns and moons on street market display in Taxco, Guerrero.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

Frescos by Diego Rivera showing rural life, building of the Ministry of Education, Mexico City.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

Alebrijes on the display of local artist, Federico Contero Rosciono in his workshop in Guanajuato, Mexico.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

Ceramics called talavera, typical for the region of Dolores Hidalgo (Guanajuato) on the street market display in Taxco, Guerrero.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

Local restaurant, close to Coyoacan, Mexico City.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

The wall of La Casa de Limon, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

Colourful drinks ready to go to the tables, Mexico City.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

Colourful clay products on the street market in Taxco, Guerrero.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

Huge murals by José David Alfaro Siqueiros, building of the Ministry of Education, Mexico City.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

Colourful skulls as part of Mexican culture and tradition called el culto a los muertos on the display of a gift shop in Coyoacan, Mexico City.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

Owner of a hat and other gifts shop in Teotihuacan, Mexico.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz