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Yarn Paintings: Mexican Folk Art, Huichol Indians, Yarn Colors, Wax And Artists
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Published: November 26, 2007
The Huichol Indians of West-Central Mexico managed to survive what the Mayans and Aztecs did not: the incursion of Europeans. Assisted by the geography of the region, they managed to remain isolated from the 16th century Spanish invasion. The Huichol Indians preserved their culture, which has only recently been noticed by those outside of Mexico.
The Huichol's unique artistic style imparts knowledge of their rich culture to the wider world.
Huichol art is highly symbolic in nature. The Huichol are an animistic society, believing in multiple deities, all with ties to the natural world. Corn, deer, peyote and the eagle - deities descended from the Sun God - are commonly depicted in their art. Their yarn paintings are gorgeous, brightly colored works of art; each one tells a story.
The stories told through their paintings have been passed down over generations. Most of them are complex, however examples are readily available online. Viewers of Huichol art will certainly notice the interaction between the Indians and their deities. It is a commonly held belief within their culture that gods and humans exist on the same plane. This is likely reinforced by the consumption of peyote, which also informs the bright colors and psychedelic appearance of their paintings.
Yarn paintings begin with a wax covered piece of plywood or particleboard. Huichol artists press colored yarn into the wax until their work is complete. The Huichol artists of the past relied on sheep's wool for yarn, and colored it using dyes derived from plants. However, today's yarn artists possess an unlimited palate of colors, using acrylic wool for their paintings.
Though the Huichol culture has been around for centuries, exhibitions of yarn paintings as Mexican folk art is a modern development. For much of their history, such creative efforts were made with the sole intention of being sacrificed to their gods. The appearance of yarn paintings outside of their native land is resultant of extraordinary changes in Huichol society.
Thousands of Huichols have migrated to urban areas in recent years, bringing their culture and art with them. Anthropologists view this as the disintegration of one of the last ancient cultures remaining on the planet. For some Huichol Indians, this pessimistic assessment is apt. However, some members of the ancient culture do not espouse this bleak view. A more positive perspective is that the culture is coming out of hiding, and yarn paintings are a part of the process. Each piece of this Mexican folk art provides the curious with insight into the Huichol's traditions and beliefs.
Sources:
"About Huichol Yarn Paintings." LatinAmericanFolkArt.com. 21 Nov. 2007. http://www.latinamericanfolkart.com/about_yarn_pai ntings.htm.
"Huichol." Wikipedia – the free encyclopedia. 7 Oct. 2007. 21 Nov. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huichol.
"Huichol Shamantism." Moving Medicine – Wixarika. 21 Nov. 2007. http://www.movingmedicine.com/huich.html.
"The Strength of Kieri Awatusa is Tested." Wixarika – Online Archive of Huichol Art, History, and Culture. 21 Nov. 2007. http://68.166.190.115/wixarika/wxFlashAwatusaIsTes tedPx.htm.
"Yarn Painting – Images of a Vanishing Culture." Mexico Connect. 21 Nov. 2007. http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/huichol/huicholart. html.
Huichol art is highly symbolic in nature. The Huichol are an animistic society, believing in multiple deities, all with ties to the natural world. Corn, deer, peyote and the eagle - deities descended from the Sun God - are commonly depicted in their art. Their yarn paintings are gorgeous, brightly colored works of art; each one tells a story.
The stories told through their paintings have been passed down over generations. Most of them are complex, however examples are readily available online. Viewers of Huichol art will certainly notice the interaction between the Indians and their deities. It is a commonly held belief within their culture that gods and humans exist on the same plane. This is likely reinforced by the consumption of peyote, which also informs the bright colors and psychedelic appearance of their paintings.
Yarn paintings begin with a wax covered piece of plywood or particleboard. Huichol artists press colored yarn into the wax until their work is complete. The Huichol artists of the past relied on sheep's wool for yarn, and colored it using dyes derived from plants. However, today's yarn artists possess an unlimited palate of colors, using acrylic wool for their paintings.
Though the Huichol culture has been around for centuries, exhibitions of yarn paintings as Mexican folk art is a modern development. For much of their history, such creative efforts were made with the sole intention of being sacrificed to their gods. The appearance of yarn paintings outside of their native land is resultant of extraordinary changes in Huichol society.
Thousands of Huichols have migrated to urban areas in recent years, bringing their culture and art with them. Anthropologists view this as the disintegration of one of the last ancient cultures remaining on the planet. For some Huichol Indians, this pessimistic assessment is apt. However, some members of the ancient culture do not espouse this bleak view. A more positive perspective is that the culture is coming out of hiding, and yarn paintings are a part of the process. Each piece of this Mexican folk art provides the curious with insight into the Huichol's traditions and beliefs.
Sources:
"About Huichol Yarn Paintings." LatinAmericanFolkArt.com. 21 Nov. 2007. http://www.latinamericanfolkart.com/about_yarn_pai ntings.htm.
"Huichol." Wikipedia – the free encyclopedia. 7 Oct. 2007. 21 Nov. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huichol.
"Huichol Shamantism." Moving Medicine – Wixarika. 21 Nov. 2007. http://www.movingmedicine.com/huich.html.
"The Strength of Kieri Awatusa is Tested." Wixarika – Online Archive of Huichol Art, History, and Culture. 21 Nov. 2007. http://68.166.190.115/wixarika/wxFlashAwatusaIsTes tedPx.htm.
"Yarn Painting – Images of a Vanishing Culture." Mexico Connect. 21 Nov. 2007. http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/huichol/huicholart. html.
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