You can't spell "Vallarta" without "art." The city is dripping in it. Get ready to have your head swiveled by a vast array of murals, galleries, community art projects and public sculptures, with exhibits covering everything from Mexican folk art to the avant-garde. Take a day’s break from the beach and seek out your inner Frida Kahlo.
ArtWalk
From late October to mid-May, 18 participating downtown Vallarta galleries take part in the Wednesday evening ArtWalk (puertovallartaartwalk.com), staying open later than usual, offering beverages and laying on music, with their owners happy to chat. Some are part of the Vallarta Art District, with a particularly dense cluster along Calles Vicario, Sánchez, Juárez and Domínguez in Centro, while others are independent. Pick up Vallarta ArtWalk and Art District brochures at tourist-info kiosks around town to assist in your artistic quest.
Public Sculptures
Street sculpture helps define Puerto Vallarta. Two of the city's most representative symbols – the Caballito de Mar and Los Arcos – are artistically hewn from stone and bronze. Plenty more surrealistic statues line the Malecón. The most outlandish is a toss-up between The Subtle Stone-Eater and the bow-shaped Millennia, which incorporates Frankish emperor Charlemagne and pre-Columbian sage Nezahualcoyotl.
Beyond the Malecón, there’s plenty more to ponder. Look for The Lovers, an intimate study of Liz Taylor and Richard Burton on Calle Zaragoza and a seated depiction of film director John Huston on Isla Río Cuale. All three were present here in 1963 for the making of The Night of the Iguana.
Huichol & Other Mexican Folk Art
Galería Colectika (peyotepeople.com) is considered home to the great masters of Mexican folk art. The Huichol beadwork pieces are mostly one of a kind and sit alongside fine Huichol yarn pieces, metalwork from Chiapas and ceramics from Oaxaca.
Another good outlet for high-quality Huichol beadwork is nearby Tierra Huichol Olas Altas (tierrahuichol.com), with some intricate large pieces – toucans, parrots, jaguars and skeletal figures from Michoacán.
Other Centro Galleries
Near Galería Colectika, Galería Omar Alonso (galeriaomaralonso.com), Vallarta’s first contemporary-art gallery, is a fount of modern photography and abstract art.
Across the street, Galerie des Artistes (galeriedesartistes.mx) is home to an eclectic collection, running the gamut from bronze sculptures by Mexican masters to abstract pieces by emerging artists. Nearby, Manmade México (facebook.com/MannmadeMexico) champions modern design and showcases works by artists who approach traditional folk art with modern techniques.
Galería Corsica (galeriacorsica.mx) is, arguably, the most cutting-edge of PV’s potpourri of galleries, presenting bold abstract canvases and striking sculptures in and around an Andalucian-style patio. Studies of swimmers by Mexican sculptor Rodrigo Vargas were recently turning heads. During the ArtWalk, a talented pianist tinkles on a grand piano by the entrance.
Zona Romántica
In the Zona Romántica, Olinalá has been selling authentic Mexican dance masks, folk art and rural antiques to collectors since 1978.
If functional beauty and whimsy float your boat, step into Mundo de Azulejos (mundodeazulejos.com), a local institution that's been making brightly colored Talavera tiles and ceramics for decades – anything from sinks to whimsical tiles to hang around the house. On the walls you'll find photos of celebrities who've patronized the store, and letters of thanks from the offices of Tony Blair, Bill Clinton and other heads of state. Upstairs, watch artisans hand-paint their wares.
Unique Ceramics
If you don't have time to travel all the way to the village of Mata Ortiz, don't miss a visit to Galería de Ollas, which showcases exquisite, delicate, one-of-a-kind ceramic vases produced by more than 300 artisans. Each piece is decorated with a remarkable design using colors obtained from natural dyes.
