Art Exhibits at OAX Airport in San Juan Bautista la Raya, Mexico

The state of Oaxaca in Mexico's south is often considered one of the country's main artistic hubs. Its diversity in nature and indigenous cultures has created an atmosphere of inspiration for creative endavors. In the capital city of the same name, known fully as Oaxaca de Juárez, perhaps the clearest examples are its booming gastronomic and graphic arts scenes. While it seems that the first airplane to land near Oaxaca City did so in 1922, it wouldn't be until 1940 that an airport would be built to service it. With its official name being Aeropuerto Internacional de Xoxocotlán, its latest renovation started in 2019 and wouldn't be finished until several years later, given closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rufino Tamayo and Rodolfo Morales, known for their murals and paintings; along with Francisco Toledo, who worked several mediums but is perhaps best-known for his prints, are probably the most relevant artists from Oaxaca to gave developed their careers in the 20th century. Their legacy in the city includes a great affinity for murals and its reputation as the country's printmakers' capital, creating a major field of expression for Oaxacans in the 21st century. However, when the time came for Xoxocotlán Airport to start reflecting this, sculpture would be favored over graphic arts given its monumentality. It is likely that the art displays started in 2018 with works by the collective La Barda de Adobe and artist Manuel Miguel. Since then, there have been exhibits by other Oaxaca-based creatives, from Alberto Aragón Reyes's sculptures made out of recycled materials, to Fernando Andriacci's psychedelic, multicolored animals. From 2024, Patricio Santiago was the featured sculptor, his works mostly made out of cantera stone, including the green-hued type that defines Oaxaca City.

Read it at Atlas Obscura ↗

← Front page