Visiting Puerto Vallarta for the Art of it
The Growing Art Galleries of Jalisco Reflect the Bay of Banderas
Apr 19, 2009
The drug cartels maybe working the border but the Mexican states of Jalisco and Nayarit have made tourist safety their number one concern. This beach town has grown with tourism and is one of the safest on the Pacific side.
Bay of Banderas is Mexico’s largest natural bay and the tourism industry has taken full advantage of the miles of beaches, low construction costs and abundance of English speaking workers. A top tourist spot for years, the area has grown in its offerings as well.
Nuevo Vallarta is the extension of Puerto Vallarta that has sprouted in the northern border state of Nayarit. Once again, this is a very safe place to be with security controlled by the resorts. Condos and timeshares are growing so fast that the wary traveler needs to beware of the timeshare traps that begin at the airport. Do not talk to anyone at the booths as you leave the baggage claim area. The timeshare workers are paid to convince you to visit their property and they will promise you a free ride to your hotel, a free boat tour of the bay, a free, well, you get the idea.
Bypass the airport booths and head for the taxis after you have exchanged some cash for pesos. $16 (160 pesos) should get you to Nuevo Vallarta or $12 (120 pesos) for Puerto Vallarta. While Nuevo Vallarta has world class resorts, Puerto Vallarta is where the action is. College kids hit the Foam Parties but there is a burgeoning arts scene to explore.
The Malecon or seaside boardwalk downtown offers plenty of opportunities for that but also features bronze sculptures that give a glimpse of the importance that art has garnered in this town. The Seahorse has long been the icon of Puerto Vallarta but the Ladder always attracts attention with its triangled heads and beseeching arms reaching to the moon. Whether it was these sculptures that inspired the art of the area or if the art sparked interest in public sculptures, the result has been more art all the way around.
The Art Walk of Puerto Vallarta Offers Wine and Conversation
Galleries have even organized the Art Walk through the areas off the Malecon. During the heat of summer, many galleries close but reopen when the air cools. In the Old Town area between the Malecon and the Cathedral of our Lady of Guadalupe that dominates the skyline, are fifteen galleries that offer cocktails and appetizers on Wednesday evenings between the end of October and Easter. Official Art Walk flags fly and the patrons delight in finding the new and different.
With no sense of art elitism, gallery owners, artists, art patrons and an occasional bargain shopper gather to see what Latin American artists have produced. While The Loft at 176 Corona sports modern paintings, Galerie des Artistes at 248 Leona Vicario (at the corner of Leona Vicario and Hildago) has sculptures, glass orbs and paintings. Manager Pascale Chabert mans the gallery even during the sweltering summer months when new works arrive. “I love to tell people about the new works; the art world that is growing here at an astounding pace,” she says with accented English. Vibrant works of Evelyn Boren and Daniel Kent are featured in the airy gallery. Art Gallery Millan, Galeria Omar Alonso and Galeria Arte Latinoamericano are all close by but don’t miss the cluster on Corona that includes Galeria de Ollas that spotlights the pottery of Mata Ortiz.
Dotted throughout the art district are jewelry stores that offer Mexican silver with every kind of jewel. The Jades Maya Gallery (226-A Leona Vicario) prides itself not only on reintroducing Guatemalan Jade to the Americas but on educating shoppers on the history and varieties of jade.
More Fun in the Sun at the Bay of Banderas
Scuba diving and golf are among the popular past times with tons of area options. Although lying on the beach after sampling the local tequilas is a perfectly acceptable day’s activity here. Boat tours offer a full day’s fun with snorkeling at Los Arcos, a horse back ride up to waterfalls at Quimixto and a Booze Cruise on the return ride. There is always the chance of whale watching in the winter months or spotting sea loins on the rocks.
Canopy and jungle tours, the Huitchol Indians art and dolphin adventures are growing in popularity as Puerto Vallarta grows. Going north or south up the coast can guarantee serene beaches. However, Puerto Vallarta has so much to offer along the Malecon that it seems foolish to leave. In addition to the galleries are the Town Square Bandstand with concerts on Sunday evenings and the aerial flyers – Voladores de Papantia, the Totonac Indians who appeal to Xipe Totec for rain and fertility by leaping from a 75 foot pole dressed as birds. The art even extends to the Malecon beach where using sand and rocks, sculptures are created to be reclaimed by the rising tide. Catch them while you can.
