Portraits of Volkswagens In Oaxaca

The Ubiquitous Bugs Are Everywhere Here

“Revolutionary Volkswagen” — Image by Author

This piece was inspired by a story my pal, Rodrigo S-C — wrote about the cars in his life. His take on the string of cars he has owned, and dreamed of, is a delightful read.

There’s an odd coincidence going on here. Rodrigo owned a number of Volkswagens over the years, and Oaxaca is full of vintage Volkswagens. I see them everywhere I go, and I have made portraits of many of them.

I walked by the one above this morning, parked in front of a revolutionary mural. The juxtaposition struck me as funny, like an inside joke. Something about a hundred years beginning in 1919 and Zapata.

“Twins in Traffic” — Image by Author

I can only guess at the popularity of these auto-insects in Oaxaca. They are relatively cheap, both to buy and to repair. Mexicans are an ingenuous, do-it-yourself kind of people, and I’m sure most owners do their own repairs.

I find it interesting that the majority of Bugs here are white. Most are a similar vintage. Though I am not a car guy, I am guessing most are from the 70’s and 80's.