Mexican Saints - Oaxaca, Mexico -
The project 'Mexican saints' is a collection of pictures that I took while traveling through the towns of Cuernavaca, Tepoztlan, Puebla, Cholula and Oaxaca. I Visited more than 40 Churches and Cathedrals from the smallest to the largest and most spectacular, took over 10,000 photographs of different representations of saints, virgins and angels that although many of these represent the same saint or virgin they are different due to cultural context and economic environment in which they were created, for whom they were created, as well as the liberty of the artist (s). From my humble point of view, these images are not only religious icons but also represent the emotions of the artist who created them because each image contains his signature, his style and his faith.
with this images I would share with you a bit of the flavor from one of the most beautiful and culturally rich States of Mexico.
Oaxaca is a gathering of vast indigenous traditions and the equally vast Hispanic culture, which, together, paid off to racially mixed expressions that still remain in the customs, music, food, the daily presence of its people; the art and constructions of magnificent colonial buildings that reveal the magnificent elegant architecture of some and the simplicity and sobriety of others, including the most important are the churches and monasteries of Oaxaca City as an example and legacy of the greatness of colonial architecture in the region.
Oaxaca's territory in one of the most beautiful regions of México surrounded by spectacular mountains and vast valleys; the riches of the region are really worth to visit and photograph. The region also has a wide range of architectural treasures with beautiful monasteries and churches where the past awaits visitors with the wealth that these buildings treasure within. Most temples and monasteries were built of green ‘cantera’ stone and dated from the XVI century. The religious orders were established in ‘The New Spain’ to carry out its work of evangelization, in this spiritual conquest, the Dominicans where the ones who had more presence, who planted on the top of ancient great pre-Hispanic ceremonial center’s platforms their new constructions.
Noteworthy is the contributions of Indian artisans. They were and still are excellent stone and wood carvers, goldsmiths and painters of extraordinary manuscripts as well as creators of some of the most elaborate altarpieces and most beautiful saints, virgins and angels today and during the colony.
The constructions made by the Indians, mainly directed under the supervision of very knowledgeable mentors, mostly monks, were a colossal effort to create some real jewels of monumental temples and convents; where the facades and altarpieces with their sculptures and paintings are a testimony of the merger of two great cultures. This is how we perceive this unique heritage of beauty and truth.
Today, the Mexican art craft in the development of saints and virgins is in grave danger, this due to piracy and the smuggling that had seriously damaged the national market now flooded with poor quality pieces, and low prices. Mexican craft products have been manufactured in Mexico by Mexican artisan families from many generations; they now have lost jobs and closed hundreds of shops dedicated to the creation not only of saints, virgins and angels, but also a host of other art pieces, this due to the invasion of imitations made in China, which are sold and labeled as ‘made in México’. This is an alarming problem that ails México as many Mexican artists, that had been so for generations and generations are in danger of extinction, and this further aggravated the already damaged Mexican economy. This sad reality has changed the title label of 'art craft’ for the title of 'product ' of many if not most of the Mexican art crafts.
As an example of this problem while in Oaxaca, I learned about the Indian artisian Guillermina Aguilar Alcantara; she creates miniature nativity scenes in polychrome clay. This woman of 67 years says that her craft ‘is sacred to me and the people of Ocotlán de Morelos, Oaxaca. It is a family heirloom, which also provides support of my existence’, Guillermina and other artisans have dedicated their lives to the ‘magic work of shaping the earth with our hands’ and her work is part of public and private collections in Mexico and abroad.
At a time when piracy and technology monopolize the market we see that Mexico, as a country home to artisans, the younger generations do not appreciate their culture. We come from this land, we are earth and we must instill in the younger generations our culture and traditions, culture itself feeds everybody’s spirit; and we must taught at least to appreciate the beauty and respect the work they had been done and continue to be done by Mexican artisans.
At a time when piracy and technology monopolize the market we see that Mexico, as a country home to artisans, the younger generations do not appreciate their culture. We come from this land, we are earth and we must instill in the younger generations our culture and traditions, culture itself feeds everybody’s spirit; and we must taught at least to appreciate the beauty and respect the work they had been done and continue to be done by Mexican artisans.
