Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - In honor of the much celebrated local artist and the municipal day held in his honor annually on April 17, the naval Academy is proud to present the unveiling of a mural by the deceased artist Manuel Lepe. This free event will take place behind the Naval History Museum on April 15 at 7 pm.

Manuel Lepe was a Mexican artist who painted in the Naïve style which came to represent the coastal city. His paintings, mostly themes based on the landscape and town scape of his native Puerto Vallarta, soon became much coveted collectors items.

Lepe, though never formally trained as an artist, achieved early success in life. Many credit him with the strong artistic culture that is key to Puerto Vallarta’s success as one of Mexico’s leading beach resorts. The resort hosts over 20 annual cultural festivals and prides itself on its close position to Mexico City as the country’s culinary capital.

As an artist, Lepe enjoyed international success, with exhibitions of his work in several US museums and galleries and in 1979 he received the accolade of Mexico's national artist by President Luis Echevarría.

In 1974 Lepe suffered from a cerebral aneurysm and died in a Guadalajara hospital. His workshop in Puerto Vallarta is preserved as a gallery and museum. Some of his works are on display there as well as at the Peter Gray Museum of Art on the Coastal Campus of the University of Guadalajara, North of Puerto Vallarta.