International Psychoanalytical Association
The state of Oaxaca in south-eastern Mexico is a folk art paradise. An extraordinary spectrum of crafts – multiple varieties of ceramics, woodcarving, textiles, tin work, to name a few – are created by artists who work entirely by hand. Drawing upon traditions handed down from generation to generation within their pueblos (villages), they blend diverse cultural, religious and physical elements of their environment. These include indigenous myths and legends, ancient patterns visible in preserved Zapotec and Mixtec ruins, the heritage of the Spanish conquest, and the region’s natural earth products.
Six master artists – two each for three days – will demonstrate their techniques in ceramics, woodcarving, shuttle-loom weaving of woollen rugs, and back-strap-loom cotton weaving of fine handbags, as they narrate the meanings of their creations (that will be for sale). This live folk artist gallery, generously sponsored by Mexico’s national council for culture and the arts, CONACULTA, in collaboration with IPA member Arden Rothstein, PhD, author of Mexican Folk Art from Oaxacan Artist Families, will take place on August 4, 5 and 6 in the World Trade Center, adjacent to the Congress’s major meeting room.
Click here for photographs of Oaxacan artists.
