Newlink is the Mexico Tourism Board’s New Agency for Public
Relations in the United States
THE COLOR OF TRADITION: HERENCIA MILENARIA
Mexican
Artisans Introduce Tonalá Ceramics to New
York
New York, July 23nd, 2008 — The Mexico Tourism Board’s New York office and the State
of Jalisco will join the Brother Kenneth Chapman Gallery in the Iona College
Arts Center, in New Rochelle, New York to host “The Color of Tradition: Herencia
Milenaria” from October 25th – December 4th,
2008. During the exhibition members of Herencia Milenaria
(thousand year heritage) from the town of Tonalá,
Jalisco will showcase their world renowned contemporary Mexican ceramic art.
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 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 and hearts and minds to create brilliant and beautiful statements in this
ancient material, clay.”
The opening reception of “The
Color of Tradition: Herencia Milenaria” will take place on
Saturday, October 25 from 1:00-3:00 pm in the gallery and a curator’s
gallery talk and slide show will follow from 3:00 -
4:00 pm in the Christopher J. Murphy Auditorium. During the course of the
exhibition, celebrations involving the local Mexican population of New Rochelle will take place as well as the cultural contributions
from the town of Jalisco,
including art, music and food. “The Color of Tradition: Herencia
Milenaria” is part of CLAY FEST – a celebration of ceramic art
in the New Rochelle
area and All Fired Up! A Celebration of Clay in Westchester.
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 Tonola’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).
They are as follows.
BarroBandera (Flag Clay) -- This type of clay has the colors of the
Mexican flag: red base with white and green details.
Barro Betus (Betus Clay) – Also called “Fantastic Clay” this pottery is
characterized by vibrant colors that give the ceramics a whimsical look. It is
given its name from its Betus resin, or varnish, which is extracted from the
Pine trees. This technique is common in the town of Santa Cruz de las Huertas and the most well
known figurines are roosters, coyotes and owls.
Barro Bruñido (Bruñido Clay) – This bright and smooth clay is named after its finishing
style: the Bruñido tecnique. During the process artisans use river
stones and a metal called “pirita” to give it its naturally
bright finish.
Barro Canelo (Cinnamon Clay) – Is one of the most unique clays of the region.
Its colors are of many shades of cinnamon and when it touches water people say
that it smells like wet dirt. This clay comes from the municipality of El Rosario.
Barro Engretado (Engretado Clay) – Is given its name because of its Greta finish which gives
it a glass like shine. The Greta technique used a mixture of brass and lead
oxide.
BarroNatural (Natural Clay) – This type of clay may have some
type of ornamentation but the clay’s natural color is kept.
BarroNegro Esgrafiado (Esgrafiado Clay) — Artisans who make
this type of clay use the “esgrafiado” technique to decorate
their work. During the process artisans use needles and saws to dig out
formations.
Barro Opaco (Opaque Clay) – One of the least common types of finishes, this
clay is colorful but does not shine.
Barro Oxidado (Oxidated Clay) – Identified by its rustic appearance.
Barro Petatillo (Small Rug Clay) – This clay features a crossed linear design,
similar to that of a rug. This type of clay is made in the Greta tradition and
is currently covered in lead-free varnish.
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, Asia and Latin America.
About the IonaCollege
Council on the Arts
The Iona College Council on the Arts
is dedicated to sponsoring artistic and cultural programs for the enrichment of
the IonaCollege community, particularly the
student body. With an endowment from the Baron Lambert Fund for the Arts,
established by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph M. Murphy, the Council exists to make the
arts more present and visible - providing the unique awareness, inspiration and
participation which the arts promote. Consisting of IonaCollege
faculty, administrators, students, and alumni, the Council on the Arts seeks to
expand and deepen the cultural life of our student body. The Council produces
and coordinates events whereby students, faculty and administrators may
experience the arts communally. In addition to public performances and conferences,
the Council sponsors programs such as Art Quest trips, designed to introduce
members of the Iona community to the cultural
richness of the community.
About All Fired Up
From October 3 – November 30,
2008, more than 60 venues throughout WestchesterCounty will participate
in All Fired Up! A Celebration of Clay in Westchester.
This consortium project, led by the Westchester Arts Council, the ClayArtCenter, and a steering
committee of eight cultural institutions, will also include a wide range of related
activities that will provide the public opportunities to deepen their
appreciation of ceramic arts and to engage in art-making activities. Workshops,
symposia, films and other activities are planned—some geared to the
general public, others to students and educators, still others for specialists
such as artists, art historians and collectors. The scope of
activities—from introductory workshops to master classes for established
artists; from in-school artist residencies to a summer teacher's institute
— will reflect the range, diversity and expertise of the consortium
members.
Over 70 arts organizations,
including the county's largest such as the NeubergerMuseum,
the KatonahMuseum,
the Hudson RiverMuseum,
Westchester Arts Council, ClayArtCenter, PelhamArtCenter, RyeArtsCenter,
the HammondMuseum, and the Westchester Art Workshop
are already on board to participate. This concordance of events comprises a
cultural initiative unprecedented in Westchester.
About Clay Fest
The New Rochelle Clay Fest is a host
of programs and activities in seven venues. Exhibits of
internationally-renowned and local ceramic arts, family workshops,
"Terrific Terra Cotta" walking tours, demonstrations, food cooked in clay, and live musical performances are some
of the activities taking place in public and private cultural institutions--
all of which will be "stops" on a free trolley service operating
throughout the afternoon. For more information visit: www.nrpl.org
FOR PRESS ONLY: For additional ideas, help with a story or general travel and tourism
information about Mexico, please contact the MTB’s North American Press
Room directly at 1-800-929-4555, by e-mail at northamericanpress@visitmexico.com,
or visit our press Web site at www.visitmexicopress.com.
To access an online warehouse of free, downloadable b-roll, visit www.thenewsmarket.com/visitmexicopress.
