ARTIST SERIES

Twice a year we commission artists to create artworks based on a theme that represents the values of our brand. Our inaugural theme (Artist Series Commission #1) to launch the series is: The promotion, preservation and celebration of Mexican traditions of art and culture in pursuit of a BETTER WORLD.

         

2022

LUVIA LAZO

STATEMENT

The photograph depicts Roberto and his nieve (water ice-icecream ) stand both in neon colours. Roberto Ramos is a man from Oaxaca, who has been selling nieves for forty years. His father used to be a nieves seller in their hometown town a long time ago, and that is how Roberto learnt and decided to continue the tradition of the nieves. He prepares them in his mother’s house which is located in La Noria barrio of Oaxaca. Roberto was the first person to introduce coloured cones to make it fun for his clients and to call the attention of the kids in the neighbourhood. His favourite colour is green, which he even sports on his sneakers.

BIO

Luvia Lazo is a Zapotec photographer and art lover from Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca. Photography is her way of portraying the worlds to which she belongs. Her work aims to capture reality from the perspective of the contemporary Zapotec woman, creating a constellation of images through time and spaces in Oaxaca, documenting the generational gaps and the transformation of identities across ages. She is a recipient of the Jóvenes Creadores grant of the FONCA 2020 (National Fund for the Culture of the Arts, Mexico) and the inaugural recipient of the Indigenous photo grant 2021.

        

2022

ANANAS ANANAS

STATEMENT

“I am another yourself”
The movement of hands coexisting together, sharing, splitting and participating with food, and wrapping tortillas is a gracious and joyful act for Mexican culture. As a Mayan wisdom statement on oneness, we are pieces of each other, and cultural separateness links us because this act of hand-meets-food is a universal language.

BIO

Ananas Ananas is an artist duo working with food as a medium. Verónica González and Elena Petrossian focus their work on creating edible installations and dining experiences that encourage their audience to interact with food in a multi-sensory and experimental way. Their artwork is intentionally temporary, meant to be enjoyed mindfully and to facilitate intimately present moments.

@ananas____ananas

        

2022

JOSÉ OLIVAREZ

STATEMENT

I wrote this poem knowing I wanted to incorporate the refrain of "ARRIBA, ABAJO, AL CENTRO, PA' DENTRO." I wanted to see if I could transform this popular refrain through the alchemy of poetry. The images I chose to incorporate into the poem are images typical of Mexican culture: maiz, rosary beads, agave, chanclas and images indicative of the Mexican American hustle I grew up in: hustling multiple jobs and throwing parties for the whole block. My hope is that when you arrive at the last line, it feels a little holy and fully triumphant.

BIO

José Olivarez is the son of Mexican immigrants. His debut book of poems, Citizen Illegal, was a finalist for the PEN/ Jean Stein Award and a winner of the 2018 Chicago Review of Books Poetry Prize. It was named a top book of 2018 by The Adroit Journal, NPR, and the New York Public Library. Along with Felicia Chavez and Willie Perdomo, he co-edited the poetry anthology, The BreakBeat Poets Vol. 4: LatiNEXT. His next book of poems, Promises Of Gold, will be published in 2023 by Henry Holt & Company.

@_joseolivarez

         

2022

MA STUDIO

STATEMENT

We were inspired by the mezcal art and its tradition in Mexico.
The hands with the agave and the water ripples represent the master mezcaleros who dedicate themselves to this work, which we celebrate with great respect. The lower part of the piece has to do with the ground, fertility and its work. We also have the sun, which is not only a representative symbol of our country but also the one who allows the sowing and growth of life.

BIO

"We are a studio that was born out of love for our artisanal heritage. We are dedicated to the preservation of traditions, the promotion of artisanal processes, Mexican trades and collaborative projects. We employ socially responsible practices, environmental care schemes and fair trade methods. Our aim is to provide job opportunities, promote creative education, and boost inclusion and community work. We seek to honor the roots, tools and knowledge we have inherited from our Mexican ancestors and explore them through contemporary art and design practices. Our inspiration comes from our history, our people, our pueblos, and the indigenous worldviews of our magical Mexico."

@____m.a____

         

2022

CURIOT

STATEMENT

One of my favorite things about Mexican culture is the artisanal crafts and their respective characteristics including their bright colors, imagination, and handicraft. Taking that into account,
I designed a mask that takes me back to the dance of Tlahualiles from Sahuayo Michoacán.

BIO

In 2008, in the city of Morelia Michoacán, the creative project of Curiot Tlapazotl was born. The project explores intuitive expression across different mediums. A graduate from the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo Morelia, the artist has exhibited his work in solo-shows in Germany, the United States and Mexico, and as part of a group shows in France, England, Taiwan, India, Australia. Recognition for his work has allowed him to paint large-format murals in various cities in the world such as Europe, Asia, Latin America, Mexico, and the United States.

@curiotli

 

         

2022

SERGIO SÁNCHEZ SANTAMARÍA

STATEMENT

My work is a drawing made from a scratch-board technique, which has been my specialty for several years. In the piece you can see an allegory of the Mexican spirit of aguardiente and mezcal and a pre-Hispanic Mexican together in a field full of agaves which will one day grow and become strong, eventually giving life to that mystical and mysterious liquid.

BIO

Sergio Sánchez is a graduate of the Escuela Nacional de Pintura y Grabado «La Esmeralda» with a degree in “Artes Plásticas”. He recently created the moniker “Grabador 1976” to represent himself on his social channels online. The artist became the first of his generation (1996-2001) to present an engraving for an academic exhibition.

@grabador1976