Strollers along Tonala’s Calle Santos Degollado can now admire a series of striking sculptures created by local artists. The project is part of Mayor Jorge Arana’s “Tonalá Pueblo Museo” program to turn the crafts center into a “living museum.”
In addition to the sculptures, planters, stone benches and creative ironwork have been installed, giving the street a very artistic character.
According to city authorities, the sculptures in each section of Santos Degollado – between Juárez and Matamoros – represent a different epoch in Tonala’s history.
The eventual aim is to return Santos Degollado to its former status as a pedestrian-only street. Much to the dismay of business owners, it was opened up to traffic during the recent remodeling of Avenida Tonaltecas.
Tonala is regarded as one of Mexico’s finest crafts centers, specializing in ceramics. Its center is a magnet for shoppers looking for items priced more affordably than in upmarket Tlaquepaque. Some of the country’s most famous ceramicists have learned their craft through family traditions handed down over generations in Tonala.