The Mural Diego Rivera is a public work of art that decorates the exterior wall of a house set in the hills of Acapulco. Come here to appreciate one of the last creations of Diego Rivera, a major figure in the Mexican muralism movement. Marvel at the intelligent placement of colorful stones and seashells to depict the movement of serpentine mosaics.
Learn about this period of Rivera’s life. The artist took inspiration for the Mural Diego Rivera from Dolores Olmedo, his friend and love interest. Olmedo became Rivera’s muse following the death of his wife, the famous artist Frida Kahlo. Olmedo was also a well-known art collector and the proprietor of the House of Winds (La Casa de los Vientos), the house that the mural adorns. Rivera lived his last 2 years at the house after returning to Mexico from Russia in 1955.
The mural features two brightly colored mythological snakes, which face toward the house’s entrance gate. They are high-relief mosaics and stick out from the wall’s surface. Notice one snake depicting the Feathered Snake of Quetzalcoatl, an important deity of the Aztec empire. Other mosaics portray Tlaloc, the Aztec god of rain, and Xoloitzcuintle, a pre-Hispanic hairless dog.
Look for a plaque to the right of the gate, which says Exekatlkalli, the house’s name in the indigenous Nahuatl language. The names of Rivera and Olmedo are embedded into the sign, too.
The mural is about a 5-minute drive or a 30-minute strenuous uphill walk from Plaza Álvarez. Get here by taxi or on a guided city tour. The house contains further works by Rivera, although they are currently not accessible by visitors.
Combine your visit to the Mural Diego Rivera with time at nearby major Acapulco attractions. Watch as divers bravely leap into the Pacific Ocean from La Quebrada Cliffs. Enjoy superb coastal views at the multi-tier amphitheater, Sinfonía. Sit on the soft sand of Playa Manzanillo and watch local fishermen at work.
