Cozumel Museum to Host ‘Periplo’ Exhibition Featuring Three Decades of Rafael Ontiveros’ Art

Cozumel, Quintana Roo — The Cozumel Parks and Museums Foundation (FPMC) will open “Periplo,” an exhibition showcasing more than three decades of work by visual artist Rafael Ontiveros, at the Museum of the Island on April 17.

The opening event begins at 8 p.m. with free admission to the public. Ontiveros, originally from Querétaro state, has built a career as a graffiti artist, painter, and ceramicist, with his work appearing in over 25 solo exhibitions and 40 group shows nationally and internationally.

Museum director Isela Carrillo Cupul noted that Ontiveros has been selected for major international biennials in China, including events in Beijing and Dafen, as well as national competitions like the Pedro Coronel and José Atanacio Monroy biennials.

His self-taught work has been displayed in Spain, Canada, France, Finland, Peru, and China. Ontiveros has also worked as an illustrator for publishing projects including Alfaguara Infantil and Storytel.

Poet Agustín Olvido described the “Periplo” collection as a constant movement rather than a linear narrative, with each piece reflecting processes of persistence, interruption, and transformation. “Walking through this exhibition means accepting that movement; there isn’t a single reading, but multiple possibilities that invite viewers to engage with the transformation of each work,” Olvido said.

FPMC general director Juanita Alonso Marrufo emphasized that such exhibitions strengthen cultural activities on the island and align with Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa’s New Agreement for Well-being and Development, which promotes artistic expression spaces that encourage community participation, cultural access, and citizen development.