Calle de Regina, Centro Histórico
"A Sunday afternoon dream in Callejón del Cuajo" by Sr. Niuk

The street artist Guillermo Heredia, better known by his pseudonym “Sr. Niuk”, not only enchanted Mexico’s older generations with his mural “Sueño de una tarde de domingo en el Callejón del Cuajo” (A Sunday afternoon dream in Callejón del Cuajo); he also succeeded in creating a unique artwork in the heart of Mexico City.

By Pablo Sanchez Domnick

In a pedestrian area in the historic center of Mexico City, the mural “Sueño de una tarde de domingo en el Callejón del Cuajo” can be found alongside various other wall paintings. It comprises a colorful depiction of several comic characters – members of the “Familia Burrón”, which is one of the absolute classics in Mexican comic culture.

Drawn by Gabriel Vargas, “Familia Burrón” is a collection of stories about a chaotic Mexican family that finds itself confronted with a variety of everyday problems.

When Gabriel Vargas, the author of “Familia Burrón”, died in 2010, Sr. Niuk and twelve school students from an art workshop came up with the idea of painting a mural in his honor: the Familia Burrón was to appear in one of Mexico’s most famous murals.
  Diego Rivera’s “Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en la Alameda Central” became “Sueño de una tarde de domingo en el Callejón del Cuajo”. Key figures from Rivera’s mural, such as “Catrina”, were replaced by important characters from the comic, with other figures also being added.

Sr. Niuk’s unique project ended up becoming a classic of Mexico City street art with great impact that captured the hearts of the city’s residents and became a highly popular and well-preserved mural.

About the artist

Born in Mexico City in 1972, the graffiti and street artist Guillermo Heredia began doing street art at an early stage – a style that was not particularly well known at the time in Mexico. In 1985, Sr. Niuk, known then only as “Nuke”, started painting in Mexico City, spraying quick but aesthetically pleasing artworks. Over time, “Sr. Niuk” established himself as one of Mexico City’s most renowned street artists who has created several artworks in the center of this megacity.