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THE COLOR OF TRADITION: HERENCIA MILENARIA
Exhibit of
Ceramics from Tonalá will be displayed in New Jersey
New York, NY; January 29th,
2009 — “The Color of Tradition: Herencia
Milenaria,” an exhibition of works by artisans from the town of
Tonalá, Jalisco, will continue its United States run when it opens on February
2 at the New Jersey City University’s Harold B. Lemmerman Gallery until
March 4.
The Mexico Tourism Board and the
State of Jalisco who have been promoting the
exhibition will host an opening ceremony on February 10th when
Rubén Beltrán Guerrero, Mexico’s
Consul General to New York,
will join Mariana Pedrero, Director of the Mexico Tourism Board’s New
York Office, to speak of the great success the exhibit has already enjoyed.
The exhibit’s first US
presence took place at the Brother Kenneth Chapman Gallery in the Iona College
Arts Center, in New Rochelle, New York to host” from October 25th
– December 4th, 2008.
“The number of visitors to the
gallery for this exhibition tripled and the sales reflected that” said
Madalyn Barbero Jordan, Director, Brother Kenneth Chapman Gallery Iona College
Council on the Arts. “The number of pieces sold is about six times more
than usual.”
Herencia Milenaria (http://herenciamilenaria.org.mx)
is a civil organization that was born in 2006 in an effort to unite
some of the most well-known artisans in Tonalá and provide a vehicle with which
artists could place their crafts and culture within international forums.
Chuck Plosky, Professor of Art at New JerseyCityUniversity, and Artisan,
Angel Santos in conjunction with Alicia
Lopez-Rivera selected works for this exhibition to provide “an
opportunity for lovers of beautiful things to study superior examples of
Mexican ceramic art. These marvelous works are made by artists who use their
hands, hearts and minds to create brilliant and beautiful statements in this
ancient material, clay.”
Located in the greater metropolitan
area of Guadalajara, the small town of Tonalá is a traditional
Mexican town where the Colonial era culture is still maintained and its calm
environment offers its guests a unique visit. Tonalá comes from the náhuatl
word Tonallan that means “place from which the sun rises”
and its main attractions are contained in its traditional plaza where locals
and guests meet to listen to music, play games, converse and on Thursdays and
Sundays, to shop.
Tonalá’s arts and craft market
is a magical tradition that transforms the town into a fantastic world of color
and beauty. From the early hours of the day local craftsmen start filling the
streets with colorful figures of animals, clowns and dolls made out of
paper-mâché, hand-blown glassware, and iron. There is also plenty of food to
eat. Small restaurants and temporary stands offer typical dishes such as pepián
(a stew that contains squash and nuts seeds similar to mole), campechanas
(cocktail mix of octopus, shrimp and abalone, and steaming birria
(braised goat and lamb meat) and drinks like white atole (a warm almost
porridge-like drink made thick with masa), champurrado (a special hot
chocolate thickened with masa), tejuino (fermented maize drink), and
lemon water.
But the town’s most popular
attraction is its high quality clay creations. From plates and pots to masks
and miniature figures the crafts that Tonala’s artisans offer are
one of a kind and made with techniques influenced by indigenous, Spanish and
modern techniques that have fused together to make ten different styles of
finishes, many can be viewed at the Museo Nacional de la Cerámica de
Tonalá (The National Museum of Tonalá Ceramics).
Tonala’s closest city is Guadalajara, one of Mexico’s oldest colonial
cities and the country’s second largest city, it is a cultural hotbed.
With more than 20 museums, dozens of squares, colorful markets and lovely parks,
the city is bursting with activity. Guadalajara
also offers countless theaters featuring everything from mariachi music to
opera and ballet. The Degollado Theater, a Neoclassic masterpiece, is a
must see, located in the city’s historic center.
Other day trips in the area include
a visit to the town of Tlaquepaque.
With 300 shops of high-quality artisan shops featuring ceramics, leather,
silver and air-blown glass, it is a shopper’s wonderland. In the center
of town is El Parián, built in 1878, this square block
cantina is a good place to stop for a snack, a drink and people watch. In the
late afternoons the plaza is full of mariachi bands. Also visit the UNESCO
World Heritage town of Tequila, one of Mexico’s Magical Towns called Pueblo
Mágico, where the legendary national liquor of Mexico is produced. Or climb aboard
the Tequila Express train in Guadalajara
and in about two hours, riding through the breathtaking desert landscape,
arrive in the Hacienda Herradura. Some have described the actual train ride
as a party as there is an unlimited supply of beer, tequila, margaritas and
other refreshments, with an eight-piece mariachi band serenading passengers.
About the Mexico
Tourism Board
The Mexico
Tourism Board (MTB) brings together the resources of federal and state
governments, municipalities and private companies to promote Mexico ’s tourism attractions and destinations
internationally. Created in 1999, the MTB is Mexico’s tourism
promotion agency, and its participants include members of both
the private and public sectors. The MTB has
offices throughout North
America, Europe, Japan
and Latin America.
For more information on destinations and online trip bookings please go towww.visitmexico.com.
FOR
PRESS ONLY: For additional ideas, help with a story or general travel
and tourism information about Mexico, please contact the MTB’s U.S.
Press Room directly at 1-800-929-4555,
by e-mail at northamericanpress@visitmexico.com
or visit our press Web site atwww.visitmexicopress.com
