Mexican Sculptures

Frida Kahlo or Diego Rivera may come to mind when thinking of Mexican artists, but in the history of Mexican folk art, Mexican sculpture plays a very long and important role. As far back as 3,000 years, craft production flourished within the civilizations that make up modern day Mexico. The Olmec, Teotihuacán, Toltec, Maya and Aztec natives created both everyday objects and those used for ceremonial occasions. By the 1520s, Mexico would become a Spanish colony, profoundly influencing the types of objects and the technology employed to produce them. The long history of wood cutting, ceramics and clay work see their roots are in ancient civilizations and yet they are still very much practiced today. The earthen tones of such objects now found in archaeological exhibits continue to influence the Mexican sculptors of today.  Enedina Vasquez Cruz combines Catholic motifs with the materials of the past, whilst Cecilio Sanchez Fierro applies pigmented clay techniques to her nude works. However, Fierro first started playing with the clay work theme of “arboles de la vida," using the tree of life sculpture to explain religious and biblical stories to the natives at the time of colonization. It becomes clear that though the subject matter or technology may change,  the ancient art of creating an object will always inspire the Mexican sculptor.