Tacoma Art Museum Docents Blog TAM Docents Blog: TAM Docents: Mexican Folk Art

Hello Docents-

Realizing that Mexican Folk Art is a bit out of our usual comfort zone of NW art, I have provided some notes and links below that I hope may be of assistance with this new material. If you find something to share with your fellow docents, feel free to send that my way and I will gladly distribute. Also let me know if there is any material you are having difficulties with and I will see what I can find to help.

Guide for Spanish pronunciation that has recorded samples: http://www.studyspanish.com/pronunciation/

Please note that this is Mexican Folk Art and not Spanish, though there may be Spanish influence, of course.

Also, be careful with your use of the word "primitive" in this exhibition. People who are not familiar with that as an art history term may find it insulting to the artists and the art work. "Primitive" can come across as a judgment which we want to avoid (not to say that you aren't allowed to have opinions, just be careful about separating out your personal opinion from the facts so the two don't get mixed up by the visitor).

Here is a map of Mexico with some access to other great information about the country and its people:http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mapsofworld.com/mexico/maps/mexico-map.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mapsofworld.com/mexico/&h=443&w=600&sz=71&tbnid=X3fa-nRlILzQVM:&tbnh=91&tbnw=123&zoom=1&docid=lsG7BXD0jIrQuM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=KXC5TqiTEeOfiQLi9Lz0BA&ved=0CDAQ9QEwAg&dur=372

Info on Talavera Pottery: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talavera_%28pottery%29

Info on Nahuales: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nahual&ei=8HK5TsDkEK_8iQKV65XKBA&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDoQ7gEwAw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dnahuales%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1GGLQ_ENUS251%26prmd%3Dimvnsb

I think this term was brought up by Nancy when she was here while talking about Teodora Blanco: http://www.cosasonline.com/artists/familia-blanco .

Some info on Charros: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charros

I hope that this is helpful.

Thank you for all that you do for Tacoma Art Museum!

-Jana

Jana Wennstrom | TACOMA ART MUSEUM

Manager of Public and Volunteer Programs

T: 253.272.4258 x3030

1701 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, Washington 98402