Inside the Kimo - Carl Von Hassler's Seven Cities of Cibola

We had the chance to take a guided tour of the Kimo Theatre, which is beloved by both us and the Albuquerque community for it's unique "Pueblo-Art Deco Revival" style and earned reputation as one of the coolest buildings in the city.

One of my favorite parts of the tour was in the hallway that leads to the theater and the stairs that lead to the mezzanine. The upper parts of this hall are adorned with a fantastic mural by the artist Carl Von Hassler, who is deeply interwoven into the history of the theater, having had a studio on the buildings third floor for many years.

While there, he and a number of students painted this mural entitled "The Seven Cities of Cibola" , which depicts actual pueblos in the state of New Mexico. Completed in 1927, the murals feature the pueblo dwellings of Acoma Sky City, Zuni, Chaco Canyon, Taos, and Bandelier.

The mural paid homage to the Seven Cities of Gold myth that was popular during the conquistador era. In the 16th century, it was believed that seven pueblos could be found in New Mexico, crafted out of gold and holding many treasures.

While the pueblos in the mural weren't actually made of gold, the rich colors of desert are perhaps as precious, and the mural renders them as the treasures they are.