Luxurious eco-friendly resorts and great restaurants. Galleries and Mayan ruins. Crystal-water beaches and ancient heritage. Just a few of the elements you can find when visiting Tulum. Located just over an hour from Cancún, Tulum has deep cultural deeps that had made it exploded in popularity. But as much as the natural connection, Tulum offers a great art scene. The Mexican town has a huge flow of artists and art galleries through the city.
Likewise, fans of the design and architecture can feel in their element. There’s hundreds of resorts and residences created by Mexican firms that project the natural boho style of the city. Tulum is also the host of well-known festivals. Like Art with Me or the Festival Arte Tinasah that connect electronic music, art and cultural experiences; they’re hugely popular. In fact, these events receive thousands of visitors.
Tulum is pretty close to Cancun, so the transfer is not a problem with the plenty of options that you can find. Either car rentals, Cancun airport transportation, or public transportation, which you can use to go and back easily.
Give your curiosity and adventure side the opportunity to experience all the cultural attractions and breathtaking nature surrounded by exponential art. Tulum offers such diversity in every corner.
Tulum Art: Come Into the Light by Daniel Popper; Photo, Rafael Cisneros Méndez.
Daniel Popper’s Come Into the Light
All the richness in culture, art, music and exceptional nightlife made the city the perfect scenario for the first Art With Me event in 2018. It’s where the town’s most famous sculpture literally came into the light. Ven a la luz (or Come into the Light as it’s called in English) is the name of this huge 32-feet piece that symbolises the deep connection with nature. Made by Daniel Popper, the South African artist goes around the world creating pieces that interact with the environment in an organic way. Using local materials and lighting effects.
The sculpture was made with wood, steel, rope and is located at the entry of Ahau Tulum hotel, Raw Love restaurant. However, don’t worry about the fact it is located in the hotel zone. Regular folk visiting Tulum can stop by and take a photo on their way, and there are different companies like eTransfers that offer private transportation services and local advice to reach this famous sculpture.
Photo, Raquel Moss.
One of a kind Tulum street art
Along with ancient Mayan heritage, the culture of street art is very present in Tulum. Several murals have been painted by renowned street artists. Some of them during the FAT Tulum Art Festival, and others by locals among the years as a way of expression. It can be hard work to know where to find street art in Tulum, but Instagram helps. In addition, local bars and restaurants are happy to help.
There are so many murals in Tulum. So many that exploring its street art culture has gained great popularity. You can also get a tour or go by yourself on an open service that Cancun shuttle transportation services offer to tourists. Undoubtedly, the best option is to rent a bicycle. This way you can really appreciate the work and understand the story behind every piece. It is also the best way to feel the real spirit of the city town.
If street art is what you are looking for when visiting Tulum, Calle Sol Oriente is a pretty street famous among visitors. It’s a good way to start. Full of painted walls, it connects with Coba Rd, another street with pretty murals. Lastly, you can also find art pieces in the local cemetery walls, representing the death in the Mayan culture.
IK LAB Tulum Photography, courtesy Fernando Artigas Architect/Photographer.
The paradise of art galleries in Tulum
You can say there are as many galleries as street art, you just need quick google research to find plenty of options. Tulum is a base for many national and international artists. The different galleries and art shops offer invaluable art inspiration with handmade pieces using different materials and techniques, always looking to add new artists to their collections.
Those looking for local art must visit Balam Art on Feathers. It is one of Tulum’s most famous galleries. Located between the beach and downtown, it is specialised in a Mayan technic that uses feathers of different birds as a canvas. Furthermore, you may have heard about IK LAB Gallery? Located in Azulik resort, it’s an eco-friendly space that currently hosts an exhibition of three great artists focused on the human journey through physical and metaphysical realms.
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
