The Workshop of Jacobo and Maria Angeles

FROM ROOTS TO WINGS: CONTEMPORARY TRADITION

Espacio Huakal joins the traditions of a family and community that has revolutionized the world of Mexican design, art and crafts worldwide. This encounter between Jacobo & María Ángeles and Huakal is born from the desire to share ancestral techniques with an innovative and imaginative vision.

Copal, a sacred tree in the Zapotec tradition, is the main source of these figures, whose wood carving is known as “tonas” and “nahuales,” and called “alebrijes” in Mexican folk art. These pieces are distinguished by their colorful painting and the incorporation of iconographic designs that have a deep symbolic value.

This exhibition brings together five collections of the most recent artistic creations of the Jacobo & María Ángeles Workshop, which they exhibit with creative and inventive work through artistic/craft practice. As well as the history of the heritage that has been transmitted from generation to generation in the craft of carving and painting wood sculptures in the community of San Martín Tilcajete, Oaxaca.

ZAPOTEC CALENDAR

The Zapotec Calendar collection is the result of extensive research that began in the late 1990s and has been enriched over time. By bringing to life the craft of wood carving, this collection becomes a practice that goes beyond the artistic, also embracing spiritual dimensions.

The Zapotec calendar is made up of 13 months made up of 20 days. Each day is ruled by an animal, generating a cycle that is repeated month after month. Iguana, coyote, turtle, chameleon, snake, armadillo, deer, rabbit, frog, dog, monkey, owl, opossum, jaguar, eagle, mockingbird, butterfly, snail, fish, hummingbird: there are 20 animals that are interpreted from different worldviews, families and ethnic groups. Animals that live in the different regions of the State of Oaxaca.

The Jacobo and María Ángeles workshop presents this series of pieces with great pride and knowledge. A project that ranges from miniature silver jewelry, the already classic wood carving, to the conception of monumental exercises. As a way of thanking them for their 28 years, the workshop is pleased to present the origin of their artistic understanding, also inspiring the worldview of the tonas and nahuales.

The history of the workshop with the Zapotec Calendar emerges from the particularities of memory, myth, and legend, as well as from the coincidences in the primary values ​​of culture. An allegory to the construction of the sense of belonging and identity. Being and knowing oneself as Zapotec.

PLAGUE

Born from a deep reflection that explores the boundaries between what is considered beautiful and what is rejected as unpleasant, the exhibition challenges the anxiety commonly associated with insects considered pests by incorporating meticulous details of Zapotec iconography, silver and gold leaf finishes into the copal wood sculptures. The narrative of the work highlights the uncomfortable engagement with the pest, questioning the relationship between the beautiful and the disgusting, and challenging the observer’s perception. The exhibition provokes reflection on the desired, the beautiful, and our connection to what we want to possess, posing a central question: Who is really the pest?

TLALCHICHI

A collection that highlights the historic relationship between dogs and humans, specifically the little-known breed from pre-Hispanic Mexico: the Tlalchichi. This short dog was depicted on ceramic vessels from the shaft tomb culture, and the workshop draws inspiration from them to create copal wood carvings with playful poses.

In pre-Hispanic Mexico, there were four breeds of dogs, and the tlalchichi, originally from western Mesoamerica, had a close connection with mortuary practices, accompanying the deceased in shaft tombs. The workshop's collection recreates these dogs in various postures and colorful outfits inspired by pre-Hispanic codices, using carving, painting and gold leaf application techniques.

The commitment of the Jacobo & María Ángeles Workshop to the preservation of pre-Hispanic identity is reflected in the collection, which seeks to merge past and present through the Mesoamerican worldview. The exhibition highlights the importance of dogs in the daily and religious life of people in Western Mesoamerica, thus contributing to the preservation and transmission of pre-Hispanic heritage.

MEDITATING RABBITS

This collection of meditating rabbits is a captivating and innovative artistic expression. Masterfully carved, these pieces evoke serenity and peace through the image of rabbits immersed in meditation. Their uniqueness lies in the choice of pastel colors that adorn each figure, transmitting a sense of harmony and positive energy.

The rabbit, an integral part of the Zapotec calendar, becomes a timeless symbol in these sculptures. Through their meditative posture, rabbits become messengers of tranquility, guiding those who contemplate them towards a state of inner calm.

These sculptures are not only works of art, but also bearers of a cultural connection rooted in the Zapotec worldview. The meditation represented in these sculptures is not only aesthetic, but also a reminder of the importance of introspection and connection with nature. Thus, these pieces become silent witnesses of the spiritual and artistic richness of the Zapotec tradition, revealing the deep relationship between art, nature and inner searching.

TRIBES

The “Tribu” collection emerges as a unique expression of the connection between Zapotec art and tradition. These wood carvings, meticulously decorated with vibrant paintings, find their inspiration in the animals of the Zapotec calendar. Each member of the family is represented by a specific animal, associated with both the tona and the nahual assigned to them by birth, their protective and guiding animals.

The magic of “Tribu” lies in its ability to reflect the complex web of family relationships through the careful selection of symbolic animals. From the majesty of the jaguar to the cunning of the rabbit, each sculpture encapsulates the unique essence of each family member. The choice of size of the sculptures is based on the family’s rank within this system, creating a visual hierarchy that reflects the internal structure and dynamics.

This project goes beyond simple artistic creation; it is a bridge between the past and the present, fusing ancient Zapotec wisdom with contemporary expression. Each carving is a visual testimony to the cultural richness and complex connection between each individual and their environment. “Tribu” is not only a collection of the Workshop, but a tribute to the diversity and unity that defines each family throughout time.