By Jesús López Aguilar—

Oaxaca’s extraordinary cultural diversity is reflected in its art, architecture, traditions and landscapes. In Huatulco, a collective of artists is exploring the connections between these elements through a travelling exhibition that brings together traditional techniques and contemporary technology.

Founded in March 2014, Colectivo Tilcoatle has spent more than a decade promoting art and cultural activities in Santa María Huatulco. Its work includes workshops, outdoor educational programs, concerts, exhibitions and community gatherings, all intended to create opportunities for artistic expression and cultural exchange.

In 2023, the collective launched Oaxaquia, an artistic installation featuring 16 Oaxacan artists working across a range of disciplines, including painting, printmaking, ceramics, embroidery, botanical printing, wood and bone art, projection mapping, and virtual and augmented reality.
The exhibition takes its name from a geological concept that offers an unusual perspective on Oaxaca’s cultural identity.

An Ancient Land

According to research by geologist Fernando Ortega, Oaxaquia was an ancient continental fragment whose geological history stretches back approximately one billion years. Its formation involved complex movements and collisions, connecting territories that today form parts of Oaxaca, Hidalgo and Tamaulipas.

Over geological time, this ancient landmass became part of what is now Mexico. Its history helps explain the region’s remarkable landscapes, ecological diversity and concentrations of endemic species.

For the artists of Colectivo Tilcoatle, this geological past provides a starting point for exploring the relationship between land, culture and artistic expression. Oaxaca’s mountains, forests, coastlines and communities have inspired generations of artists, craftspeople, musicians and architects. Oaxaquia brings these influences together, examining how traditional knowledge and contemporary creativity intersect.

Sixteen Artists, Many Forms of Expression

The participating artists represent different generations and approaches to making art.

Established painters and printmakers such as Sabino López Aquino, Ixrael Montes, Edna Guzmán, Jesús Edel Bustamante Cruz and Heriberto Palafox contribute perspectives rooted in Oaxaca’s visual arts traditions.

Armando Manuel, León Arrazola and Antonio Osorio Pineda explore aesthetics and iconography associated with Mesoamerican cultures, while Flora Abel and Luis Alonso work with textiles and pigmentation, drawing on techniques and materials associated with Oaxaca’s artistic heritage.

A younger generation, including Gam Bernardino, Eduardo Talledos, Mick Escobar, Carlos “Spenk,” Noé Jacinto and Francisco Escobar Bautista, brings large-scale mural work and digital art into the conversation.

Together, these artists explore the relationship between tradition, worldview and modernity, demonstrating that Oaxaca’s artistic identity is not fixed in the past but continues to evolve.

At Residencial Meridian in Huatulco, projection mapping transformed the building’s façade into an enormous canvas. Colourful abstract imagery and intricate geometric patterns spread across the architecture while visitors gathered below to watch. Inside the exhibition spaces, paintings explored subjects ranging from Indigenous imagery and cultural traditions to marine life. The contrast between monumental digital projections and individual works on canvas illustrates the range of artistic approaches brought together by Oaxaquia.

A Museum Without Walls

One of Oaxaquia’s distinguishing features is its travelling format. Rather than occupying a permanent museum, the exhibition adapts to different architectural settings, making art accessible in spaces not ordinarily associated with formal exhibitions.

In Huatulco, previous editions have been presented at Casa Tilcoatle, Casa Nabani, Casa Herradura and Residencial Meridian. The project has also travelled to Restaurante Xcanda in Puerto Escondido and to Oaxaca City, where it was exhibited at the state newspaper archive during the 2024 Guelaguetza celebrations and at Casa Macorina in 2025.

This approach is particularly significant in Santa María Huatulco, where dedicated cultural exhibition spaces are limited. By bringing art into different locations, Colectivo Tilcoatle creates opportunities for residents and visitors to encounter the work of Oaxacan artists and engage with the region’s cultural heritage.

The next edition, Oaxaquia Volume IV, is planned for February 2027 in Huatulco.

Those interested in supporting the collective’s activities through donations or arranging a visit to the Colectivo Tilcoatle gallery can contact the organizers at casatilcoatle@gmail.com or via WhatsApp at 958 100 1273.

Photographs courtesy of Meridian and Bossón de Hux.