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30% off Storewide *
*exclusions: sterling silver & gold, consignment items
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CURRENTLY IN THE GALLERY
THE AGUILARS
Renowned Oaxacan
Family of Ceramic Artists
Close to 100 pieces by the Aguilar family currently fill The Folk Tree gallery.
Josefina, Guillermina, Irene, and Concepcion are the four Aguilar sisters from the village of Ocatlan, Oaxacan. They have become world-famous for their painted ceramics figures. Each sister works in clay, but each has their own distinctive style reflecting their own view of the world.
Josefina Aguilar gained international acclaim when her pieces were collected by Nelson Rockefeller during trips to Oaxaca in the 1970s. Most of the pieces created by the Aguilars focus on Mexican traditions and folklore - Frida Kahlo, Virgiin de Guadalupe, Day of the Dead, scenes of the local markets, ladies of the night, religious events or historical characters.
Josefina learned her craft from her father and mother, Isaura. Her skill began to be noticed when she was young, and by the time she was in her early twenties, the media in both the U.S. and Europe were writing articles about her work. Interest in her art has continued to grow, and she is now considered a major folk artist in ceramics.
The Aguilar family's art is collected around the world. Their work is included in the collections of the International Folk Art Museum of Santa Fe, the Rockefeller wing of the San Antonio Art Museum, and the Mexican Museums of San Francisco and Chicago.
Although Josefina is celebrated as a master artisan worldwide, her folk art is a family affair. In classic folk art tradition, the sisters have passed on their knowledge to their children, including Lorenzo Demetrio and Juan Garcia.
 Jose Juan Garcia Aguilar
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MASKS, MASKS, MASKS
30% off (excluding consignment)
The oldest known mask in the world dates back to the pre-ceramic neolithic period between 9000-7000 BC. It is made of stone. The beginnings of mask-making, however, go back much further, as seen in paleolithic cave paintings dating 30,000-40,000 years ago.
Since antiquity, masks have played both ceremonial and practical roles within societies. It is generally believed that the first masks were used by primitive people to associate the wearer with higher powers or to lend credibility to a person's claim to a place within the social strata of their culture.
"The use of masks in Mexico dates from 3000 BC. Masks were used by priests to summon the power of deities and in the sacrifices of pre-Hispanic Mexico. With Spanish contact masks were used to educate neophytes on the Christian faith, and "shock and awe" the indigenous people through dramatic presentations such as the Battle of the Moors and the Christians. As the two cultures fused, the imprint of each was recorded in masks as well as in the dances they have been used for. The role of the mask has been a dynamic one representing the ever-changing belief systems unique to peoples and geographic regions through time. (from the University of Arizona website)
In Mexico, masks are used as part of the tradition of the village festival, honoring saint's days and major Christian holidays. Participants fulfill religious vows by their involvement, while the dances educate as well as interpret and inform the community of shared values and concerns. They have been part of elaborately scripted dance dramas involving music, song, fire and feasting, and could last for several days.
As traditional use of masks began to wane in the later half 20th century, a trend which had commenced in the early 1900s - the creating of masks for sale rather than for ceremonial use - waxed in even greater measure. Recognizing the mystery and beauty inherent in Mexican masks, many people began collecting this disappearing cultural legacy. Recent years have seen Mexican masks become popular folk art collectibles, and entire new mask types have been created to fill this market." (This passage was excerpted from the Arizona State Museum exhibition essay for "Masks of Mexico: Santos, Diablos y Mas")
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Mexico City's master paper mache artist JOEL GARCIA returns to The Folk Tree.
MARCH 8 - APRIL 17
Please call the store at 626-795-8733 to inquire about workshops. |
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