Nature in All Its Glory

Lost in a Dream in the Surrealist Garden of Mexico

by Luis Cárdenas

Staircase to nowhere in the Surrealist Garden. All photos by Luis Cárdenas.

Photographer Luis Cárdenas, one of our 24 Best Travelers on Instagram, took us on a #FathomTakeover through the Sierra Gorda Mountains in Mexico. He shares his favorite photos from the hauntingly beautiful Surrealist garden.

XILITLA, Mexico – I wanted to avoid the typical tourist spots in Mexico, so I headed inland to the Sierra Gorda Mountains, to Xilitla, a small town in San Luis Potosí near the Surrealist garden of Edward James.

More commonly known as Las Pozas, the sculpture garden was created by the English poet and artist Edward James over 60 years ago while he was living in semi exile in Mexico. What struck me the most was how the changing environment of the subtropical rainforest mixed harmoniously with the architecture created by a foreigner.

The journey through Mexico's 120 Highway was also very special; we passed by several charming and lost little towns like Tequisquiapan, Pinal de Amoles, and Jalpan de Serra. I will remember everything from this trip: Xilitla's magical essence, the kindness of the locals, and the beauty and nature in every corner.

Where the Light Shines

Entering Sierra Gorda Mountains.

Mexico 120 Highway

On the way to Xilitla.

View from the Top

Worth 200 kilometers of tight curves through Mexico 120 Highway.

Hitchhiker

We met a donkey on the way.

Old Town

Xilitla town is 2,218 ft above sea level. We spent the night here before visiting the Surrealist garden of Edward James.

Local Barbershop

Spotted along Xilitla's streets.

Local Mechanic

Fixing his truck.

Window

The view from a room in Edward James' Surrealist garden. Also known as Las Pozas, the towering concrete sculptures were built from 1949–1984 on 80 acres of natural waterfalls and pools.

Steps

James was a rich English poet that inherited a fortune from his family. He is best known as a passionate and early supporter of Surrealism, sponsoring artists such as Salvador Dali, René Magritte, and Leonora Carrington.

Architectural Details

Construction of Las Pozas cost more than five million dollars. James sold his collection of Surrealist art just to pay for it.

Garden of Eden

James found the site after searching for a perfect environment for growing orchids — in order to participate in a reknowned English orchid contest.

Concrete Art

Massive sculptures of up to four stories tall punctuate the site. There are many trails throughout the garden composed of steps, ramps, bridges, and narrow walkways.

Spiderweb

In the early 1940s, James went to Los Angeles searching for a place to build a Garden of Eden. He decided that Mexico is more romantic than any other place.

Moth

You'll find an exceptional combination of nature, architecture, and surrealism at Las Pozas.

Waterfall

One of many around Las Pozas.

Las Pozas

A vantage point within the garden.

Details

Staircase to nowhere.

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