From Library Journal
Presented by Fomento Cultural Banamex, which promotes master Mexican folk artists from all states in Mexico, in part through exhibitions in the United States and Europe, this volume reveals Mexico's unparalleled folk art traditions. Shown here are the works of 180 artisans, whose biographies comprise the text. Organized by media, the contents cover clay, wood, stone, textiles, metals, paper, leather, vegetable fibers, and various materials. Each artist is photographed in lovely, full-page portraits that capture his or her essence; the images delight with their colorful vitality while revealing intricate details and design elements of the works shown. Much more than a coffee-table book, this opulent work provides an evocative narrative of each artist's aesthetic, ancestral technique, and inspiration. Although for some libraries the high price may preclude purchase, this work is highly recommended for academic and special libraries with Mexican and folk art collections. Rebecca Tolley-Stokes, East Tennessee State Univ., Johnson City
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
No one can visit Mexico without noticing the vitality, pervasiveness, and diversity of its folk art. Ceramics both utilitarian and sculptural, textiles of all kinds, carved wood sculpture, inlaid and painted furniture, baskets, and ironwork are created and displayed in every state. This cultural wealth is newly celebrated in a groundbreaking exhibition of the work of 180 living artists and documented for all time in this big, beautiful, vibrantly colorful book. Eloquent photographic portraits accompany examples of the artists' exquisite art, explanations of complex techniques, and brief biographical profiles that affirm that folk art is a prized way of life, a conduit for spirituality, and a treasured legacy. Many artists learned their skills from grandparents, and many feel, as wood-carver Manuel Jimenez Ramirez of Oaxaca does, that their gifts are divine. Distinguished by lavish detail, Mexican folk art requires, as the editors write about embroiderer Esther Roja Guerrero, "sensitivity, patience, meticulousness, and the ability to see beyond the obvious." And veneration, a feeling that will infuse all who peruse these glorious creations.
Donna SeamanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
