CDMX: The Art of Participation

Mexico City, now affectionately known as CDMX (Ciudad de México, a name adopted in 2016 to highlight its vibrant and independent identity), is a truly special place. In our continuing effort to share it with the world, we’ve been out in the field getting to know the people who make it so remarkable. Some visitors may expect to casually wander through museums, admire murals, and perhaps pick up a souvenir or two. But Mexico’s buzzing capital, built upon ancient Aztec ruins and now home to more than 150 museums (top 10 in the world!), quickly reveals it has other plans. Before we knew it, we were tagging graffiti, embroidering sacred hearts, and learning to speak through flowers. In CDMX, art isn’t something you just see, it’s something you join in on.

We met Remix on a warm afternoon in the city center. He was quietly confident and paint-streaked. As we wandered the streets together, he pointed out murals and gradually revealed more of himself. Remix is part of the same generation as many of the artists whose work now dominates Mexico City’s walls, and he knows most of them personally. That connection came through in every detail he shared. He explained the recurring image of the feathered snake, Quetzalcóatl, not just as a nod to Mesoamerican mythology, but as a symbol of rebirth, duality, and resistance, one that many artists still identify with today. For some, it’s a link to their roots. For others, a statement about reclaiming cultural identity in the face of urban sprawl. Each wall wasn’t just a piece of public art, it was part of his world, and for a little while, we got to see it through his eyes.

Along the way, Remix told us how the city’s stance on graffiti has shifted. What was once outlawed and painted over is now being preserved, even commissioned, as the city embraces street art as part of its cultural identity. Remix himself has been invited to paint several large-scale murals for the city. He told us he prefers to paint portraits of people who are still living. “I want to give them their flowers while they can still smell them,” he said with a grin.

Later, we got the chance to tag a wall too. Just our names… simple, fast, but in that moment, it felt like placing a small flag in the map of the city. Remix said graffiti is about presence. About saying I was here. So here’s our advice: if you go, come ready with something meaningful to leave behind. You were in CDMX.

Looking to have a similar experience? Contact us for more information about Creative Retreats and Itineraries in Mexico or across Central America.