Cozumel’s Iguana Art: A Mayan Tribute Unveiled

Cozumel, Mexico — The Foundation of Parks and Museums of Cozumel (FPMC) has inaugurated the conceptual art installation "Iguanas: Kings of the Earth and Human Consciousness" by multidisciplinary artist Daniel Aguilar Arreguín, who presented a performance piece as a tribute to this reptile, which is emblematic within Mayan culture.

The event, held on the upper floor of the Museum of the Island, was led by the director of the cultural and artistic venue, Isela Carrillo Cupul. She was accompanied by FPMC council member Alejandro Queb Franco and museographer Satoko Kitamura.

During her address, Isela Carrillo highlighted the multifaceted career of Daniel Aguilar, who has explored artistic installation, object art, painting, photography, poetry, and action art, establishing himself as a versatile figure within the regional contemporary art scene.

For his part, the artist thanked the opportunity to share his work with the Cozumel public and explained that "Iguanas: Kings of the Earth and Human Consciousness" is a tribute to the reptile as a symbol of wisdom, balance, and resistance, which he described as "a patient observer of the peninsular environment and a pillar of the terrestrial cosmos."

"The iguana transcends its ecological role to become a being of profound spiritual significance. Its association with the god Itzamná, deity of wisdom and knowledge, reinforces its ancestral connection with the divine," expressed Aguilar Arreguín.

The exhibition includes a mural and a collection of 60 photographs that capture this reptile in different urban and natural settings of Cozumel, from homes and walls to jungle areas, evidencing its daily and symbolic presence on the island.

Representing the FPMC's general director, Juanita Alonso Marrufo, council member Alejandro Franco presented a recognition to the artist and reaffirmed the institution's commitment to the promotion of the arts and culture, in line with the New Agreement for the Well-being and Development of Quintana Roo, promoted by Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa.

With this exhibition, the FPMC continues to strengthen its work of cultural dissemination and artistic promotion, providing spaces for aesthetic reflection and dialogue between tradition and contemporaneity.