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When we needed a cover illustration for our annual 52 Places to Go issue, we turned to Rafael Lopez, a celebrated illustrator. After all, our No. 1 pick this year is Mexico City, where Mr. Lopez is from and lives part-time. He’s also an extraordinary artist who’s created dynamic and colorful posters, murals and postage stamps. We were delighted with the results. To learn more, we asked Mr. Lopez a few questions about his inspiration, his life and his work. He sent his answers, which are below, edited for length and clarity, by email from San Miguel de Allende.

Q. How did you find inspiration for the illustration?

A. Living in Mexico, I find myself surrounded by color, texture and imagery that gets under my skin. It is a land of contrasts, surrealism, intense color and flavors. Centuries of peeling paint on ancient walls tell stories of previous generations. 52 Places to Go in 2016


Q. Tell us a little about your background and work.

A. Born in Mexico City, the son of two architects, I began drawing, painting and playing guitar at an early age. I grew up in a home with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, and that early passion for books later drove me to illustrate children’s books, with an eye toward diversity. After all, I come from a place where there are hundreds of myths and legends, 67 native languages and some of the most genuinely warm people on the planet. My journey as an illustrator has included seven United States postage stamps — including Latin music legends stamps about some of my heroes. I want my work to give voice to the rich cultural heritage and native color of street life.

Q. What about Mexico City do you most love?

A. I’m excited by the constant reinvention that Mexico City goes through, all while retaining its edge. And I’m impressed by the resurgence of ideas from the latest generation of dynamically creative young Mexicans, evident in many fields, including food, visual arts and sustainability and the environment.

Q. What advice would you give someone visiting Mexico City for the first time?

A. Give yourself the opportunity to see the work of contemporary Mexican artists. Don’t miss the museums, especially the Museo Tamayo, the National Museum of Anthropology, the Frida Kahlo Museum — known by locals as the Casa Azul. Colección Júmex and Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo offer the largest contemporary art collections in Latin America. There is also the Museo de las Culturas Populares, which preserves and rescues the popular culture of Mexico.

When eating, be adventurous. Colonia Roma offers incredible world-class restaurants, as does Colonia Condesa. Don’t miss the Panadería in Colonia Roma, a tiny, bohemian eatery where you can rub elbows with locals by sitting at the small counter while sampling unique breads, coffee and Mexican chocolate. There is a pulse to Mexico City, and that rhythm continues to evolve, intrigue and inspire me.

How We Picked the 52 Places to Go in 2016


52 Places to Go: Readers’ Choice


52 Places: New Ways to Get There
