When I first took a vacation in San Cristóbal de las Casas, I didn’t expect it would re-ignite my love for photography. Over the last five years, I have captured numerous VW Beetles and their owners trundling through the narrow streets of the old city. The “Vocho,” as the locals affectionately call the domed car, stands out from just about every other vehicle on the road.
It has a unique shape, which is ideal for a photographer trying to contrast the old car against the historic colonial architecture or the numerous examples of vibrant street art. As San Cristóbal is a Pueblo Mágico, I used a touch of magical realism to imagine the Vocho as the only vehicle in the city.
Finding an exhibition space
If I thought that waiting for the right light and circumstances to capture the best images was difficult enough, it was nothing compared to organizing an exhibition of my work. A full eight months before my planned exhibition dates in January 2026, I contacted the main galleries of San Cristóbal de las Casas. Forms were duly stamped with impressive-looking signatures and then double-stamped with notifications of confirmed dates.
However, when I arrived in the city in early January, I discovered that the main gallery was closed for renovations. It was a real setback. But thanks to my agent in Mexico, we succeeded in securing another, smaller gallery at short notice. On Jan. 29, the ribbon was cut by the President of “Bad Crew,” a local Vocho owners club and the Nauyaca Galleria on Real de Guadalupe was quickly packed out. A convoy of customized Vochos passing the gallery helped promote the exhibition.
The title of my exhibition is “El último de los Vochos” (the last of the Vochos), which I chose because the last classic car rolled off the Mexican production line back in 2003. This means that every single classic Vocho is more than two decades old, and many I had photographed were double that age. The question asked is how much longer can the Vochos survive on the road?
Keeping the Vocho spirit alive
Due to low emission regulations combined with their age, Vochos are now a rarity in Europe, mostly owned by classic car enthusiasts. So I figured capturing the Vochos being used as a daily vehicle by everyday people would be a useful record of the vehicle. Luckily, the visitors to my exhibition agreed and I had a very enthusiastic response. A few visitors scanned the photos to see if I had captured their own Vocho, and when I heard a squeal, I knew someone had spotted one they recognized. Some of the photos I had put into box frames with small metal models of Vocho included to give the photographs an extra element.
One local reviewer wrote, “I encountered a detailed and meticulous exhibition in which even the lamps were decorated with style. It was a head-to-head artistic style that hadn’t been seen for more than a generation. The admiration and elegance of this kind of theme were evident and had been recreated with great care. It was hard not to get carried away by the same feelings.”
Where to see the exhibition
The Exhibition will run in Nauyaca Galleria until Feb. 12, before moving to two other galleries. Different displays will be exhibited at the central art gallery, Centro Cultural Carlos Jurado and also at a popular nightclub, El Paliacate Espacio Cultura. Visitors will gain free entry until the end of the month. I plan to build up to next year, which is the 60th anniversary of the year the first Vocho was produced in Mexico. In 2027, hopefully, there be an exhibition in Mexico City if I can find a gallery willing to support me.
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Paul O’Connell is a photographer.
