Artisans of Mexico from the Collection of John Tortorice

April 20 – July 21, 2010

“I collected the items on display in the states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Puebla, and Michoacán over the course of three recent road trips in Mexico. They document the continued primacy of aesthetic considerations found in indigenous Mexican culture, and the commitment to a high level of artistic integrity on the part of the artisans. The skill, design sophistication, and use of color found in these objects reflect a long tradition of hand made work.  Yet the effort to maintain quality and craft is often undermined by the needs of the tourist market for cheap available items that are easily transported in suitcases.

The pieces were purchased directly from the individual, family, or co-op that made the piece which often necessitated travel to remote villages off the usual routes traversed by tourists. Such interactions with the artists allowed me to gain background knowledge of how the items were made, the tradition from which they emerge, and the complexities of economic survival in what is now a global trade in Mexican artisanal work.

The pieces are made of carved painted wood; molded, thrown, and painted clay; wrought iron; fired and pounded copper, and high quality wool colored with natural dyes such as cochineal, and indigo. The books are made from paper made from the fibers of differing plants with some covers made from the whole leaf of a specific plant.”
–John Tortorice

Curated by Marjorie Kreilick and John Tortorice.

Image:  Cover.  La Jicara, issue 1 (1994).