When we speak of Surrealism, as applied to a Mexican context, Edward James and Xilitla will immediately become the main topic of the conversation. And this is because the memory and the legacy of Edward James still coexist in this mysterious little town in the Huasteca Potosina.
Xilitla is imbued with the deeply-rooted traditions of the native Nahua and Teenek peoples, who today live on together, in harmony with both nature and modernity.
The town nestles deep in a valley in a mountainous area of the Huasteca, and thanks to its location and prodigious atmosphere, the singularity of the place immediately begins to haunt the unsuspecting visitor.
To understand this feeling, you have to see it for yourself, experience it, walk up and down the steep narrow streets, visit all the places of interest and allow yourself to be gently enveloped by the fog that slowly but inevitably embraces the entire town at certain times of the year.
In December 2011, the Federal Tourism Secretariat declared Xilitla a “Pueblo Magico”, the second of these in the State of San Luis Potosi after Real de Catorce.
This distinction is not easy to come by and cannot be bought by any means. It has to be earned by merit, as many visitors will agree, after having found this magical spot. They themselves may wonder if Edward James really brought surrealism to Xilitla, or rather whether it was the local surreal geography, flora and fauna that inspired him to create his work of art.
The varied and contrasting color, architectural and constructive disorder, a rare mixture of a town growing around a hill with circular streets and unfinished alleys, is reminiscent of the costumbrista scenes that we can see in many mountainous parts of Mexico, but even so, Xilitla has something special about it – exactly what this is, is impossible to put into words…
Due to its geographical setting, the town of Xilitla is made up of a myriad of concrete stairways linking one house to another, or perhaps to a local shop. In stark contrast to this, the stairways you can see in the sculpture garden or “Las Pozas”, created by Edward James, are all somehow specific, but unfinished. That is to say that they may go upwards without actually leading anywhere, without any imaginable or practical purpose.
In the mornings and in the evenings, the strong aroma of coffee fills the streets. The organic coffee from this region is famous for its high quality. A steamy cup of coffee or a cup of chocolate is a great way to build up the energy you need to go exploring. And by exploring, you will get first to the ancient Convent of St. Augustine, the oldest Hispanic construction in the State, and then to that strange construction, better known as the “Castle” of Edward James.
This is now a small, exclusive hotel, owned by descendants of Edward James’ closest friends. And in the distance, you can see an extraordinary and enigmatic peak known as “La Silleta” (the saddle), which is the focal point of a lot of countless legends. Just ask the people and you will hear some strange stories, which will make you aware that Xilitla is also the heart of another kind of magic.
Article written with information by:
Secretaría de Turismo
del Estado de San Luis Potosí
