The National Museum of the American Indian Exhibits the “Vochol”: The Huichol Indian Decorated VW Bug

The Vochol, a piece of contemporary indigenous artwork, is being exhibited at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian from March 21 through May 6, 2012 in Washington, D.C. as part of its international tour. The museum welcomes the 1990s Volkswagen Beetle named “Vochol” decorated by indigenous craftsmen from the Huichol (Wixaritari) communities of Nayarit and Jalisco, Mexico, who used more than 2 million glass beads and fabric to decorate the vehicle.

The name Vochol is a combination of vocho, a name for the Volkswagen Beetle in Mexico, and Huichol, which are the native Mexican Indians who beaded the car, originally from West Central Mexico and widely recognized for their colorful beadwork and fiber arts. The Huichol Indians took seven months to bead and design the car, which depict culturally important designs, ceremonies and historic events, including the Mexican Revolution and Mexican independence from Spain; the Vochol serves as a demonstration of the complex intersections between traditional and modern cultures, and helps promote the Huichol Indians’ rich culture and talent.

This one-of-a-kind vehicle is presented in collaboration with the Association of Friends of the Museo de Arte Popular and the Museo de Arte Popular in Mexico City, the Embassy of Mexico and the Mexican Cultural Institute. President Marie Thérèse Hermand de Arango of Mexico’s Museum of Popular Art, shared the Vochol’s latest itinerary for the international tour in an exclusive interview with MexicoToday.org, stating, “Following the Washington, D.C. exhibition, the Vochol will visit Denver in June for two months,” and, “After going back to Mexico for a first restoration, the Vochol will travel by sea to Paris, France where it will be exhibited on October 1. We are hoping to also show it in Brussels where we are in conversations with a famous venue. Following a second trip to Mexico for another restoration, the Vochol will come back to the United States for the April 2013 inauguration of an important building in Houston, Texas.”

For more on the Vochol, click here to see MexicoToday’s exclusive photos of the inauguration at the National Museum of the American Indian.

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Christ Crucifix with Lady of Sorrows and Saint John the Baptist

The richly traditional, centuries-old santos art form of religious icons portrays sacred figures in the Roman Catholic religion that play an important part in community daily life.

Traditional santos represent saints or sacred beings to whom prayers are offered, and provide a meditation focus. Created in two forms, the retablo, a two-dimensional form painted on flat pieces of wood, and the bulto, a three-dimensional image carved out of wood, the santos promote the spiritual development of the faithful and are a reminder of the richness and depth of their faith.

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Christ Crucifix with St. Joseph and the Virgin Mary Bulto

Almost 30 years working in the fine art of wood sculpturing, and striving for excellence have created an unparalled reputation in Michoacan for the late Don Salvador Tera and his four surviving sons as the best fine art, wood sculpturers in Michoacan. The four talented Tera brothers each take part in the completion of their exquisite creations applying their unique, individual talent. The Tera brothers have works of art that are permanently exhibited in churches throughout Mexico as sacred art. Even in the Vatican, a masterly sculptured Madonna of Lourdes by the Tera brothers can be found. There are two Tera Gallery”rooms”, each showing a different line of hand-carved wood sculptured religious art.

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José Guadalupe Posada: “Gran calavera eléctrica” (Grand electric skull) 1900-1913.

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Day of the Dead Folk Art Drawing

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José Guadalupe Posada: “Birth of Venus” (1913)

osada’s best known works are his calaveras, which often assume various costumes, such as the Calavera de la Catrina, the “Calavera of the Female Dandy”, which was meant to satirize the life of the upper classes during the reign of Porfirio Díaz. Most of his imagery was meant to make a religious or satirical point. Since his death, however, his images have become associated with the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos, the “Day of the Dead”.

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Alfonso Castillo Orta: Monarch Butterfly Skull, Day of the Dead

Spectacular Monarch butterflies skull created by renowned Master Potter Alfonso Castillo Orta’s workshop from Izucar de Matamoros.

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Alfonso Castillo Orta: “Fire Skull” (2010)

Don Alfonso was granted Mexico’s most prestigious award, Premio Nacional de Ciencias y Artes in 1996. Castillo is known for his amazing Day of the Dead inspired art.

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Jose Guadalupe Posada: Calavera Revolucionaria, Day of the Dead

For centuries the inhabitants of Mexico have created fascinating folk art expressions of the Day of the Dead: magnificently decorated skulls and catrinas, fabulous candelabra, trees of life and attractive skeletons. Skilful artists transform wood, clay, tin and paper into wonderful Day of the Dead sculptures many inspired by Jose Guadalupe Posada.

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Mexican artist Efren Gonzalez revives an ancient art form with terracotta murals (via Mexconnect)

Part of the wonder and adventure of experiencing life in Ajijic, Mexico is the incredible diversity of color in the natural world — pungent reds, a range of blues, pale purples, brilliant yellows — and of form: broad leaves, lace-like foliage, sharp narrow leaves of bamboo, and fields of cultivated raspberries, set between surrounding mountains and the broad expanses of Lake Chapala. This magical lakeside fishing village has become home for several thousand North Americans and a vacation paradise for an equal number of visitors each year.

Read more here

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