The Rotunda Of The Sea (1996) Alejandro Colunga

Table of Contents

Summary

The Rotunda of the Sea is an art installation by Alejandro Colunga located along Puerto Vallarta’s Malecón in the Mexican state of Jalisco.
Unveiled in 1996, the work consists of eight bronze thrones arranged in a circle, adorned with stylized sea creatures and marine elements.

The sculpture is a surrealistic representation of anthropomorphic statues with human arms and feet, and is a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike.
The Rotunda of the Sea adds to the rich artistic culture of Puerto Vallarta and is a must-see for art enthusiasts visiting the area.

Puerto Vallarta Malecon Guide

Puerto Vallarta Romantic Zone (AKA: Old Town Or South Side)

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Introduction

Puerto Vallarta Malecon/Boardwalk, sculpture by Alejandro Colunga (The Rotunda of the Sea)

Another interactive sculpture, strange surreal chairs are awaiting you on the Malecon, full of weirdness and magic, you’ll love them if you don’t find them creepy.

Alejandro Colunga is a well-known artist in Puerto Vallarta, having traveled to Vallarta on his own more than 40 years ago. His sculptures are now very well known all over the world and they grace his adoptive town too at “The Rotunda of the Sea” (La Rotonda del Mar) on the Malecon.

About this group of sculptures

The Rotunda of the Sea (1996) Alejandro Colunga

The collection of surrealistic anthropomorphic statues with human arms and feet adorned with stylized sea creatures and marine elements was unveiled on December 30th, 1996 and has been a favorite for visitors and locals ever since. The foundry was done in the workshops of master Salvador Andrade Valdivia, in Guadalajara, Jalisco. The pieces were donated by the artist and the installation was financed by Puerto Vallarta City Hall.

Take a seat, these strange creations invite you to enjoy them, touch them and get your photo taken for posterity.

The Rotunda of the Sea, Alejandro Colunga (1996) Puerto Vallarta Malecon

Alejandro loves this and makes it clear he actually created the works with this in mind, he is convinced that human touch and the interaction gives the statues a patina and color that they wouldn’t have if they were protected, a 3D coloring, in his words:

“The chairs are for you, I made them with a lot of love so they could be used and abused, so people could climb up on them and so your children could pee on them, something that might even make them prettier.”

The Rotunda of the Sea (1996) Alejandro Colunga, Malecon, Downtown Puerto Vallarta

Certainly, you can see that the artist is a funny and lighthearted guy, all the better, ’cause those seats are never free from the human “plague”. 😉

This sculptural unit was unveiled on December 30, 1996, by the Public Accountant Humberto Muñoz Vargas, at that time, the PV Municipal President.

The Rotunda of the Sea by Alejandro Colunga (1996)

The promotion of the project before the City Council was in charge of Lic. María Inés Francia Romo, then a Council member, and also donated the foundry expenses, done at the workshops of Salvador Andrade Valdivia, in the city of Guadalajara.

The author donated his creation and the City Council of Puerto Vallarta financed the installation on the boardwalk.

The Rotunda of the Sea by Alejandro Colunga (1996) – PV Malecon/boardwalk

Where is The Rotunda?

This sculpture is one of the many you’ll find all along the Malecon and the Malecon II (what they call the extension of the boardwalk past the Naval Museum) in downtown Puerto Vallarta.

It’s located right where Aldama street ends and intersects with the Malecon (boardwalk), a few steps from the ex-Las Palomas, now Cervecería Unión and the very well-known nightclubs, La Vaquita, Zoo and Mandala.

About the artist (Alejandro Colunga)

Alejandro Colunga Marín (From the documentary “Fogonero del Delirio”)

Alejandro Colunga Marín (born in Guadalajara Dec. 11, 1948) is a very well-known citizen of Puerto Vallarta, to be found in all the “in” places, like the City Dump & Co. with all the members of the Puerto Vallarta Jetset.

He was first a rock musician, then a painter and finally a sculptor.

He gets his inspiration from popular Mexican storytelling, stories like “La Llorona” or “el Chamuco” appear in his work and also the Latinamerican tradition of surrealism and fantasy.

Colunga’s works can be found throughout Mexico, USA, Europe, and South America.