The Strange Lovecraftian Statuary of Puerto Vallarta

Reader Preston sent us a wonderful email about the strange Lovecraftian statuary overlooking R'lyeh by the sea of Puerto Vallarta.

His email is so enthusiastic it would be a shame to do anything except turn this post entirely over to his delectable ravings...

Preston writes...

"Two Christmases ago (2005), my family and I travelled to PuertoVallarta, Mexico to exchange the gray, wet misery of a PacificNorthwest winter for a polluted, humid and stinky (though warm) twoweeks amongst the foolish and idle rich.

PV is actually very nice, by and large, though for whatever reason itdid not agree with my constitution. One day I strolled the lengthybeach-front boardwalk (the "Malecón") in an effort to adjust and takein local color. I was pleased with the non-touristy things, mostlydisgusted with the tourist-targeted nonsense, and greatly impressedand surprised with the copious amounts of statuary dotted along itslength.

And then I reached a particular installation, and was simplyflabbergasted...

Known as "La Rotunda del Mar" ("The Circle of the Sea" in my poor,
poor Spanish), this installation by artist Alejandro Colunga featurescreatures/beings straight out of Innsmouth and Lovecraft'simaginings. Fabulous!

Sunset at Rotunda of the Sea [Photo Gallery]

*A quote describing it from somewhere: *

The whimsical sea inspiredhigh back chairs are the work of Guadalajara native AlejandroColunga. This installation made its debut on the Malecón in 1997. Onechair is crowned by an octopus and another by what may be a seahorse.
One of the original chairs surrendered to the forces of HurricaneKenna and was replaced with a stunning replacement that appropriatelypays homage to the strength of the sea. Colungna studied varioussubjects in the university, but he is a self-taught artist. Stop andhave a seat on one of the whimsical chairs inspired by the sea. Youwill often see performance artists in the area and the publicenjoying the mystical seating created by "La Rotunda del Mar."
Besides the Malecón you can find Colunga's work throughout Mexico,
the US, Europe and South America.

These chair/statues are *brilliant*, and despite their (for me)
creepy (might I even say...eldritch?) presence, incredibly popular.
It was very difficult to take any photos of the statues withoutpeople (natives and tourists both) swarming all over them. Here's adecent one of my favorite:

Look at the feet! The robe, with the "hands" folded in a religious-
like pose over the chest. A detail of the head/face:

Here's someone's (not mine) Flickr with a couple of photos. And here's some other crummy images that I took..."

I think we all know where the first official meeting of ToM's Order of the Tentacle must be held... on the tropical shores of Puerto Vallarta. We will drink margaritas and chant prayers to the Elder Ones until a mist settles on the sea and the clammy fishmen drag themselves from below and carry us down to our slumbering god.

Needless to say, Renaldo, this is incredible. Thanks so much for sending this in!