Mexican Murals - Exotic Mermaid in Tlaxpana [Street Art Contest #260]

It's time for another Mexican Murals post, seeing that the weekly CCC's Street Art Contest is at its 260th issue (wow)! If you're not familiar with this weekly contest, go ahead and check it out, you can see loads of amazing murals from around the world. At the same time, I invite you to visit my collection of Mexican Murals, most are no longer up on the walls.

A Mermaid on an Island Paradise

Today I want to share a mural with you that I found in the Tlaxpana neighborhood of Mexico City, right where the streets Cacamatzin Nezahualpilli and Laguna de Términos come together. It's an exotic image of a mermaid, seated on a seaside rock, looking out at a palm-covered island, silhouetted by the sunset, painting the sky in pretty colors.

Could it be Any Cornier?

I have to admit, I could not ignore the overwhelming tackiness as my eyes were inadvertently drawn to the image. Still, the image felt not out of place. Sure, the sea is about a day's journey in either direction, and even there, the tropical exoticism would probably take on a less overblown beauty. However, right on this wall in Mexico City, the image seemed strangely appropriate.

It's the wall of a seafood restaurant, called Casa Los Pijijies, which means House of the Black Bellied Whistling Duck in English. Btw, I could not find an image of this duck on the wall, probably because it would look anticlimactic next to the mermaid.

image source

The whole neighborhood is a bit on the barrio side, being a bit dirty and run down. However, only a couple of blocks further starts the Santa Maria la Ribera, the most recent neighborhood reaching fame for being cool, hip, yet (still) affordable! So Tlaxpana may be the next area in line for gentrification. Until then, let's enjoy the visual of this 'mermaid of the hood', if not the actual food the restaurant has to offer, before it turns into an alternative barber shop, experimental café, or a holistic yoga studio.