At first glance, it's just a series of bright red arches along a sidewalk in Albuquerque--but walk…read moreunder them, and suddenly you're part of something sculptural, almost sacred. The repeating serpent-like shapes cast shifting shadows, and the further you go, the more it feels like a portal or procession. It's oddly immersive for a piece of public art that doesn't say much--because it doesn't have to. You feel it. The name "Kolowisi" refers to the Zuni water serpent, and once you know that, the entire piece ripples with deeper meaning. A tribute to movement, spirit, and story. Definitely worth a stop, even if it's just for a short walk that feels strangely important.

Kolowisi! This giant steel serpentine sculpture sits along…read moreLomas in Albuquerque. It straddles the sidewalk, making the pedestrian walk along inside the coils of the snake. It's reminiscent of Quetzalcoatl, the Mayan water god. Kolowisi is the water sperpent god of the Zuni Indians. The god Kolowisi saved the Zuni Indians from the giant flood and led them to the top of their sacred mountain. When the Indians were on top of the mountain, the water serpent god gave them gifts of food and water and seeds. The water god lives in lakes, reservoirs, wells, puddles and any body of water. He's kind of like the Loch Ness Monster that lives in Cochiti Lake or the Rio Grande. The water snake can change forms, like water into any shape it wants to. The City of Albuquerque relies heavily upon the water spirits, so it's an appropriate sculpture. This snake is painted what I would call 'enchilada red,' it matches the red sauce that makes Albuquerque food so great. You can't miss it. The artist is Andrew Shows. The city does a grand job of keeping it in good condition, free of graffiti and grime.

We were just wandering through Albuquerque, no particular plan, when we turned the corner onto Coal…read moreAvenue and stumbled across it--Mario, Princess Peach, and Donkey Kong, all pixelated and proud, stretched across the side of a building like they had punched their way straight out of 1985. At first, I thought maybe my childhood was hallucinating. But no, there was Mario mid-jump, fists in the air. Peach standing tall like the 8-bit queen she is. And Donkey Kong looming off to the side, barrels and all. The colors popped against the weathered brick, and even though you could tell the wall had seen better days, that just made it cooler--like the mural had leveled up after a few boss fights with graffiti and sun damage. Turns out it used to be a Pac-Man wall, but somebody tagged it, and the original artist came back to give it a Nintendo makeover. Respect. The vibe is pure throwback joy. Cars zipped past without noticing, but we stood there for a while, grinning like we'd just found a secret warp pipe in real life. We snapped a few pics, and some random guy yelled, "It's-a me, Mario!" from across the street. I don't know if he was drunk or just having a good time--but honestly, same. In a city full of hidden gems, this mural felt like a one-up mushroom: small, unexpected, and absolutely worth finding.

Soooo no more is Donkey Kong but Mushroom. Looks pretty new. Sucks tagging F's it all up. Like,…read morecome on, respect the art ! It's a cute surprise for the family. We pulled over & it was cool. I am soooo in love with New Mexico. We are full time RV peeps & have traveled 8 states now & New Mexico has my heart.

Standing a whopping 36feet tall in front of the courthouse, this thing doesn't just sit there…read morelooking impressive--it moves. Water fills one pan, gravity does its thing (or doesn't, in this case), and the entire beam tips in slow-mo like a brass-and-steel seesaw on caffeine The twist? It's backwards. The lower pan fills and rises. It's like justice decided to flip the bird to physics--and maybe society--because sometimes, even laws need to rebel Around the base, you'll find 30 quotes about justice in languages from around the world, embedded in granite blocks like a secret quest for word and wisdom But honestly, the real show happens when the water starts flowing--watch it teeter, totter, and glide with the grace of a flamingo on a tightrope. If you're ever in downtown Albuquerque, swing by the courthouse plaza, watch the water-powered ballet, and let the sculpture remind you: justice might wobble, but it's always entertaining.

You will find this astounding piece in the courtyard of the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court…read more It is the amazing work of Evelyn Rosenberg who was commissioned by the New Mexico Percent for Art to do the piece in 2004. It is made of copper, brass, and stainless steel and stands a whooping 36 feet tall. It is a water powered kinetic sculpture, but it was not in operation during my visit. The sculpture is billed as the world's largest scales of justice. You will find metered street parking and commercial lots and garages within a reasonable walking distance for visitors that are driving and would like to get out a get a closer look. This is not a piece that you can really get appreciation for from your windshield anyway, so I highly suggest parking. It defies logic though. The water enters the lowered pan, and when the water fills the pan the scales tip the opposite direction than the laws of physics dictate. If you look closely to the scale's base, you will see 30 quotes that are in different languages and scripts. All the quotes have a justice/law nexus. If you are unable to translate them, don't worry, the translations for them appear on granite blocks planted in the ground near the walkway leading to the scale's base. If you look even closer, you will also notice that under one of the scale's pan is a phoenix, which represents redemption and under the other pan is a dragon that stands for darkness. It if the perfect sculpture for a courthouse. I really, really like it. It is more of a plaza area with the sculpture, walkways, and quotes. I highly recommend checking this place out. It is located downtown and just outside of old Albuquerque. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 10 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

Twin Tricentennial Towers! This towering public work of art…read moreis on both sides of I-40 at the Rio Grande exit, on the entrance to Old Town and the Museum areas. It's a cool, welcome site when getting down to the attractions that's a nice feature. These towers feature a stylistic flame on the top, with Indian and local symbols around the tower. It's like a conservative, Indian version of Watts Tower in Compton. I'm a little surprised that a city government paid for a public work of art with crosses on it without riling up the ACLU. Albuquerque's pretty old if they're celebrating their tricentennial. The whole intersection here has been decked out in Southwestern decor- the overpasses are painted with Indian design. The sculptor was Jim Glidden, and it was installed in 2006.

Agreed, Curt, Albuquerque is pretty old. Considering New Mexico got its statehood in 1912, it's…read morerather impressive the city managed to govern independently for 200 years before The Man up and planted a flag here. Because that's all it takes, you know, to claim ownership of a place. No flags? Plant one, and the place is all yours. But we're talking about the city, here. In 2006, the city planted two bronze towers on either side of Interstate 40 at Rio Grande, adorned with symbols and images of Original Burqueños, and the towers are well worth checking out. During that same year, the city put a Tricentennial spin on all sorts of public works; the sewer cover on my street honors the celebration. To put this in more generalized terms, it's nice to live in a city that values public art -- it's actually legislated, called the Art in Public Places Act (AIPP), and here are deets: "For each appropriation exceeding one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), agencies shall allocate as a nondeductible item an amount of money equal to one percent or two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000), whichever is less, of all eligible capital projects. These funds are to be expended for the acquisition and installation of works of art to be placed 'in, upon or around' the new building or the building in which the major renovation is to occur." Learn more about it here: http://nmarts.org/art-in-public-places/

The views and people watching here were top tier. New Mexico really is the land of enchantment. We…read morehad fun driving & walking around here. You really have a good time, get your steps in & find some gems. My biggest takeaway was the traditional native touches everywhere & how friendly the natives are. ABQ has a special place in my heart. Also there's live music nightly here & it's DOPE. The performances from native blues & rock artists really blew me away.

I see two Block by Block cleaning crews cleaning the graffiti off the glass and buildings and light…read morepoles are being painted green. Doing what they can to revive the builds in the hopes the downtown comes bald alive one day. It's sad to see any downtown with boarded up windows to avoid folks breaking them down. No idea what the downtown area looked like before the pandemic or if the mass exit and vacancy occurred before Covid. Even the Jimmy John's is closed.

I'll admit a bias, as a regular voice of popular review on this here site: nonprofits just win me…read moreover. Very, very few of 'em don't get the five star love. It's true, right? Like, when was the last time you entered a nonprofit and said to yourself, Hey, while I can appreciate that this organization works hard to promote a great cause, that teal paint job in the bathroom was the wrong call, man. Three stars. Working Classroom delivers enlightenment on so many levels they get ten stars. Based out of probably the most storied 'hood in ABQ (Barelas) they're a tiny beating pulse of creativity, cultural pride and community engagement that shines. They're working with schools, kids off the street, upcoming artists, the gamut, and they have a resume to support their stardom. Plenty of teens who've seen hell wrought upon them have found salvation in these walls. And the last theatrical production I saw in this place burned down the house. Incredible. If you're looking to spend your philanthropic bucks on a worthy organization, this is it.

From the owner: Working Classroom is a multi-ethnic and diverse community of students and professional artists,…read moreactors and writers with a conscious commitment to supporting new and diverse voices and visions in the ARTS. We contribute to a more nuanced understanding of American identity by training aspiring artists and actors from historically ignored communities and creating art and theatre by, for and about these communities. We offer ongoing classes in Theatre and Art in our of our 9,000 sq.' facility in the heart of the Barelas neighborhood, to participants 11 years old and UP. Please call or come by for more information on the next series of classes open for enrollment.

You will find this mural in downtown Albuquerque. It is simple, but still demands your attention…read more It overlooks a small private parking lot and there is metered street parking available so, parking to get a quick closer look is relatively easy. This mural is the work of Ben Johnson who painted the piece in 2018. It is still in great shape and looks awesome. It is a basic mural with simply the words "STAY GOLD" in tall thin letter. The words are set against a two-tone blue background. The mural is painted on the side of the Wing It Up restaurant and you will find a retaining wall that is painted on the opposite side of the parking lot. It is not park of the mural, but comlliments the mural well. I am not sure of the mural's meaning, but I am assuming that it has something to do with that it is on Gold Street. I personally think that it would have been cool if the mural featured gold paint. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 10 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

There is a huge selection of art, clothing, ornaments, jewelry and anything else you can think of…read more I was in search of a few marigolds for our alter and found them for $1 each. I would have expected more costumes and shirts for Dia de los Muertos. The owner was kind and friendly. Fun to wander around if you are not even looking to buy. There was a steady flow of people. Small business at its best.

My son was in town visiting with a friend, so of course I took him to the shops on Central Ave. A…read moremust drive for all tourists & even locals. Masks Y Mas is just chocked full of Mexican art & curiosities. A fun place to wander around to find gifts for self, friends, & family. You can see from the pictures the amazing collections of items for sale. Staff were friendly & knowledgeable of their products. Highly recommended this place for a visit