The other day I happened to pass by the first place I lived in Mexico City, for more than just a couple of weeks, that is. The address is Ignacio Esteva 20B in San Miguel Chapultepec. In fact, it's not too far from my current residence, as I ended up living in the same general area each time I moved. But this time I noticed that the facade of the building looked much nicer... or let's say cleaner, than when I used to live here. And under all the grime that they removed from the tiled wall, I saw an interesting image above the front door, which I thought I could share here.
Not Your Typical Wall Painting
Is this actually a mural? I suppose, after all, it's a picture on a wall. Can it be considered street art? Well, it certainly is art of some type, and it's out in the street. Still, I am not sure where to put it, since it doesn't seem to fit any other kind of imagery you see in public spaces. In fact, it may be more appropriate for a church... but then again, the motives are not religious, strictly speaking.
What Can Be Seen Here
The mural depicts a priest or monk of some kind, riding a unicorn and swinging a red, wavy sword. In front of him some alleged enemy combatants are wielding spears, while behind home some 18th century noblemen are holding positions. What is this all about? The conversion of the heathens to the Catholic faith? The conquest of barbarian lands for the Spanish crown? The taming of mythological creatures into performing the flying gallop (a notoriously reoccurring error in mounted paintings throughout the centuries)?
Questions Without Answers
But this is only the first level of mysteries about this image. Who was the original artist? What was its intended message supposed to be? Where was it first to be seen? And why did they decide to mount it specifically on this building, which I used to inhabit once? I believe neither of these questions can be answered for now. Still, I think they are interesting to ponder, just as it is to look at the image.
Many More Murals
This post, as all of my mural ones, is my entry to this week's CCC's Street Art Contest, where you can see lots of amazing wall paintings from around the world. To check out more of the murals I found in Mexico, please visit my ongoing series Mexican Murals.