Tlaquepaque artist and businessman Sergio Bustamante last week unveiled two works that form part of the Guadalajara suburb’s Galería a Cielo Abierto (Open Sky Gallery) project.
Standing on the craft center’s main pedestrian drag (Calle Indpendencia), “El Amanecer” and “El Atardecer” are two striking 5.5-meter-high pieces, weighing a ton apiece. The bronze “faces” are in keeping with Bustamante’s unique ethereal and fantastical style, which has earned him plaudits domestically and internationally during his 50-year career.
Tlaquepaque Mayor María Elena Limón García said the works are among five that local artists have created specifically for public exhibition.
According to Limón García, the artists did not charge for their labor and were only paid for the materials used because the Open Sky project is designed to promote tourism.
Bustamante is one of Mexico’s most recognized artists and this year celebrates the 45th anniversary of the opening of his first gallery in Tlaquepaque. He also operates others in Guadalajara’s Plaza Andares, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City and Cancun.
While paying tribute to Bustamante at the unveiling of the public works, Limón García noted that Tlaquepaque is also the “home of other great visual artists who have transcended borders and left their mark on people’s hearts.”