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The 10 best Mexican-inspired murals in the U.S.

Mexico’s rich and vibrant culture is artfully displayed across some of the country’s most stunning murals

Lead to Live mural
Photograph: Courtesy Mexic-Arte Museum/Maia l. Castillo
Written by Ximena N. Beltran Quan Kiu in paid partnership with Modelo
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Mexican culture is rich with beauty, traditions and mythology that span centuries. Tales of gods birthing planets, lovers transforming into mountains, the sorrows of war, separation by borders, religious deities and its diverse landscape have long inspired artists and creators—none more so than the makers with the magic and mysticism of Mexico in their veins.

With their art, these Mexican artists challenge the status quo, remind people of who they are and inspire people to dream of what they could be. Embark on a visual journey where rich cultural narratives come to life in these captivating Mexican-inspired murals. Each creation is not just an artistic masterpiece but a vibrant testament to the enduring influence of Mexican culture in the United States.

Mexican-inspired murals in the U.S.

1. La Virgen de Guadalupe | Milwaukee, WI

A prism of color refracting geometric shapes is the signature style of Mauricio Ramirez, an artist known for his massive murals in the Midwest. Though La Virgen de Guadalupe, a Catholic icon synonymous with Mexican identity, can be found worldwide, Ramirez brings the image to life with a dazzling array of bright colors and shapes. The mural was produced in collaboration with Chacho Lopez. At 7th St and Lincoln Ave, Milwaukee, WI.

2. Mundos de Mestiza | Albuquerque, NM

Mundos de Mestizaje depicts thousands of years of Hispanic and pre-Hispanic history and is the largest concave fresco in North America. It took Frederico Vigil 10 years to complete the larger-than-the-Sistine-Chapel fresco and required the consultation of seven scholars on Mesoamerican and Spanish historical culture in order to create an accurate depiction of the past. It’s a mix of Roman, Celtic, Muslim and Phoenician history, which is all tied into Spanish identity. Vigil learned the art of fresco painting from Lucienne Bloch and Stephen Pope Dimitroff, assistants to the world-renowned Mexican artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 Fourth St SW, Albuquerque, NM.

3. La Leyenda de los Volcanes | Chicago, IL

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Popocatépetl and Iztaccihuatl are more than just the names of two volcanoes in Mexico (visible from Mexico City nearly all year round). In this piece, Jesús Helguera brings to life the Aztec folktale of the tragic namesake lovers who were separated in life. The legend tells of their transformation from humans into majestic snow-capped mountains—facing one another for the rest of time. It is often replicated, but the original stands in the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago as part of their permanent collection of Nuestra Historia: Stories of Mexican Identity. 1852 W 19th St, Chicago, IL.

4. Monuments: Atlanta’s Immigrants | Atlanta, GA

Yehimi Cambrón’s status as an undocumented immigrant from Mexico is reflected in her work. In this particular piece, she celebrates five different immigrants who make up Atlanta. Details in this mural make it a rich lesson in Mexican identity. Her subjects are nestled in and protected in a garden of cactus plants and desert flowers, representing how things “not just survive, but vibrantly thrive in extreme environments”—no doubt representing her own heritage and experience. Monarch butterflies, a symbol synonymous with immigration activism, are superimposed on a bed of turquoise—a mineral Aztecs treated like gold. 80 Northside Dr NW, Atlanta, GA.

5. A Dream Full of Memories | Costa Mesa, CA

Claudio Limón’s whimsical designs are on full display at Northgate Market, home to a 70,000 square foot Mexican food fall. The popular artist from Guadalajara, Jalisco is known for his use of eye-popping color, modern takes on historic Mexican iconography and the use of nature woven into his compositions. This bold pattern mural is one of the few public places you can view his work outside of Mexico. 2300 Harbor Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA.

6. Corn Maiden Storyteller: Shards of Our Stories | Santa Fe, NM

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Pola Lopez’s mural focuses on the important role storytellers play in helping preserve culture and history. Through a series of broken shards, the painting tells the tale of key issues faced by the indigenous communities of the region. The Corn Maiden is the protagonist of this piece. She represents Mother Earth and symbolizes life, creativity and femininity. She cradles ancestral knowledge and is meant to expand the definition of who people are and what they can be. The mural is done in the Aztec color scheme of red and black ink known as tlilli tlapalli. Baca and Hickox Sts, Santa Fe, NM​.

7. Strong like a MADRE | Los Angeles, CA

Lapiztola, the street art design collective from Oaxaca, Mexico—known for its revolutionary, emotional and gritty murals—brings its signature style to Los Angeles with a powerful tribute to mothers. The black-and-blue mural was commissioned by El Pollo Loco as part of the fast food chain’s awareness campaign for microgrants awarded to mothers facing hardships. Through bold imagery and heartfelt symbolism, Lapiztola’s artwork celebrates the resilience and strength of motherhood, delivering a poignant message of hope and support to the community. 5800 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA.

8. Lead to Live | Austin, TX

Amado Castillo III and his son Amado Castillo IV are behind this homage to Paul Hernandez, a Chicano activist and founder of the Brown Berets’ Austin Chapter, who often went up against oppressive forces in the city. A megaphone is held to his mouth with the words “Los muertos no hablan, It’s up to us!” The dead don’t speak, it’s up to us! In the background, the tri-colors of the Mexican flag are on display alongside the eagle—shown soaring in the sky, breaking free of chains. The piece uses the colors of the Mexican flag, an eagle soaring in the sun and the symbolism of chains breaking. Mexic-Arte Museum, 419 Congress Ave, Austin, TX.

9. Finding Home in My Own Flesh | Palm Springs, CA

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Two hands reaching for opposite sides, intertwined and tangled in vines and flowers, meant to represent the erasure of marginalized people from a historical context and a community’s collective vision. Felipe Baeza, a queer artist from Guanajuato, Mexico, created this piece to acknowledge and honor immigrants and queer people of color in the Coachella Valley. The subtle imagery of this purple and pink piece is designed as a “memorial to non-conforming bodies and their movement across spaces— both past and present—that nurture and uplift them.” Due to Baeza’s immigration status, he could not see his project's creation in the U.S. firsthand; All work was communicated remotely to a U.S. team. Between West Elm and the Hyatt Palm Springs on N Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA.

10. Huitzilopochtli | Denver, CO

Coatlicue, the Aztec god who gave birth to the moon and Huitzilopochtli—one of the most important figures in pre-Hispanic culture—is featured in this bright piece by David Ocelotl Garcia on Mexican and Native American history. Created in 2008, the mural was painted over in 2020, but community anger led to the restoration of its images. The mural was included in Chicano/a/x Murals of Colorado’s 2022 list of America's Endangered Historic Places. Eighth Ave between Federal and Decatur Sts, Denver, CO.

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