Aquatic journey: The Acequia Revitalization Project explores water movement through mosaic art

Water is life.

In drought-stricken New Mexico, residents know the importance and necessity of water conservation.

Growing up in northern New Mexico, Reyes Padilla would see the acequia snake through his grandfather’s property in Nambé.

He didn’t know it then but the trail of water that would fill and recede throughout his grandfather’s land would be the point of inspiration for a project decades later.

Enter the Acequia Revitalization Project at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.

South of the torreon on the NHCC campus sits a 260-foot-long structure — one that housed plants.

In 2021, the NHCC and Art in Public Places teamed up for the Acequia Revitalization Project to find a team to create an exterior, site-specific commission project.

The committee wanted to engage visitors all while exploring the following ideas — acequias, water, movement, journeys, voyages, passageways, connections, the river, the history of acequias, water as life, and respond to the movement and shape of the acequia itself.

Padilla submitted his idea for the project and was awarded the project in early 2022.

For nearly a year, Padilla has been working with Apprenticeships for Leaders in Mosaic Arts (ALMA) in creating the tile pieces for the project.

“This is the first time I’ve worked collaboratively with another organization on a public project,” Padilla said. “ALMA has a great history of creating beautiful works of art that can be seen across the city.”

ALMA was founded in spring 2015 by the leadership team of the Mayor’s Art Institute.

ALMA is the administrator for The ALMA Summer Institute (ASI) formally known as Mayor’s Art Institute (MAI).

The organization provides mentorship and training to youth through our apprenticeship model, creates world-class handmade tile mosaic artworks, and provides opportunities for the community to engage with the mosaic process.

“We are adding a mosaic component to his Acequia Revitalization project at the National Hispanic Cultural Center,” ALMA said in a statement. “This is the first time ALMA has worked with another artist and their vision. We are excited to see what’s to come.”

During fall 2023, ALMA hosted tile making events at the NHCC — most of which is being used in the project.

Since the beginning of July, Reyes and the team have been working on the project nearly every day from sunrise until around noon, when it gets too hot.

He’s excited that the physical work is finally being done.

“We’ve been doing behind-the-scenes work for two years,” Padilla said. “It’s beautiful to see the piece starting to come to life.”

Padilla is a painter known for his synesthesia-inspired work.

With this project, he’s beyond his comfortable boundary as he’s working with tile and with a collaborator.

He said the piece is a visual education about the community and tradition behind acequias in New Mexico.

Each day, around 10 people construct tents over the space to be worked on.

Padilla said the 260-foot-long concrete piece has two sides.

“Because it wraps, we’re having to cover 520 feet of mural surface,” he said with a laugh. “There are around 30 points of imagery in the piece. You’ll see wildlife, chile and corn. All the things that make New Mexico special.”

The project shines a light on the importance of acequias in New Mexico

Aracely Chapa spent 10 years working on a documentary called “Acequias: The Legacy Lives On.”

Acequias are gravity-fed irrigation ditches that were hand dug centuries ago and still exist today.

“When I first learned about them when I moved to New Mexico back in 1997, I was taken aback by their beauty and functionality,” Chapa said. “I honestly could not believe that this was a network of over 700 acequias in New Mexico.”

Chapa hopes this new project at the NHCC along with her film will help people gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for New Mexico’s acequias.

“Advocates work tirelessly to affect policy changes that will protect them for future generations,” Chapa said. “Acequias may be 300 to 400 years old but they’re not museum pieces, they serve a real purpose. They are symbols of sustainability.”

Padilla said it’s an honor to be able to put the project in such a prestigious place.

“Acequias are like magic,” Padilla said. “It brings so much life to the community. I’ve learned the amount of community effort it takes to keep them alive. It’s about tradition and resilience and how we’ve worked so hard to make the desert home. This is an incredible tradition that goes back to Indigenous irrigation methods. In this piece you will see all the community members coming together.”