Calavera Oaxaqueña

Calavera Oaxaqueña es una exposición móvil compendiada en una caja con 38 serigrafías impresas en el Taller Bambú a cargo del maestro Abraham Torres, una camiseta con serigrafía de Hugo Stewart, una compilación de videos compilados por Bruno Varela y las revistas Luna Zeta y La Patria Ilustrada No. 1.

La exposición-caja consta de una edición de 150 ejemplares, 25 están firmados por los artistas y numerados en arábigos de 1-25 a 25-25 destinados para el Comité Pro-Liberación “25 de Noviembre”, 125 ejemplares numerados en romanos de I / XXV a CXXV / CXXV, 50 ejemplares serán entregados los artistas, videoastas y escritores participantes. La edición restante de 75 carpetas serán distribuidas entre artistas, curadores e instituciones para su difución y promoción por Talleres La Luz coordinado por Marietta Bernsorff y La Curtiduría.

Esta edición recupera conceptos creados en la tradición del grabado mexicano como la democratización, masificación y multiplicidad de la imagen, revertiendo el valor comercial de la obra para usos culturales sin fines de lucro.

La Curtiduría retoma estas ideas y las carpetas numeradas en romanos sólo están firmadas por sus autores al calce de esta hoja que certifica la autenticidad del grabado y el valor de la caja como objeto múltiple original.

Estampas: Alejandro Echeverría, Óscar de las Flores, Luís Hampshire, Raúl Herrera, Damon Kowalski, Uriel Marín, Dionisio Martínez, Cristian Pineda, Demetrio Polgovsky, Emilia Sandoval, Alejandro Santiago, Filemón Santiago, Ana Santos, Smek, Hugo Stewart, Abraham Torres, Rosa Vallejo, Jessica Wozny, Francisco Verástegui, Abraham Torres, Francisco Toledo, Gabriel Macotela, Adriana Calatayud, Maries Mendiola, Demián Flores, Antonio Turok, Sergio Hernández, Guillermo Olguín, Gustavo Monroy, Boris Viskin, Fernando Aceves, René Almanza, Adriana Audiffred, Demetrio Barrita, Marietta Bernstorff, Mauricio Cervantes, César Chávez, David Domínguez, Dr. Lakra.

Videos: Ojo de Agua, Nadia Massun, Adriana Calatayud, Demián Flores, Antonio Turok, Maries Mendiola y Esther Guízar, Jorge Santiago, Hector Ballesteros, Arcano 14 y Bruno Varela.

Revista: Luna Zeta, La Patria Ilustrada No. 1.

Calavera Oaxaqueña is an itinerant exhibition in homage to Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada. Theme: Oaxaca. Visual reference: the birth of a national modern aesthetic movement initiated by Posada.

Calavera Oaxaqueña is a hand-made box that contains the following: the silkscreened images of 38 Mexican artists, printed at Oaxaca’s Taller Bambu under the direction of print master Abraham Torres; a silkscreened shirt with artwork by Hugo Stewart; a selection of videos compiled by Bruno Varela; the magazine Luna Zeta No. 23; and the inaugural issue of La Curtiduría’s publication, La Patria Ilustrada No. 1.

As La Curtiduría’s first project, the contents of this hand-made box aim to capture the spirit of the Oaxaca during the months of the gallery’s initial formation. The social-political conflict that erupted in the state between 2006 and 2007—culminating in the intervention of Mexican President Felipe Calderón’s troops and the killing and unjust imprisonment of Oaxaca’s people—forced artists to take up creative arms rather than succomb to silence. These 38 silkscreened prints are both documents of personal experience and expressions of political stance in the face of an oppressive government.

This project consists of a total of 150 editions. Of these, 25 are numbered from 1/25 to 25/25 and signed by the artists. This signed series has been donated to Comité Pro-Liberación “25 de Noviembre”, a program founded by Oaxacan artist Francisco Toledo. Priced at $2,500 dollars, the sale of this series will help support the work of human rights activists and citizens who were injustly imprisoned during Oaxaca’s popular uprising.

Of the remaining editions, numbered 1/125 to 125/125, 50 will be returned to participating artists in place of payment.

The final 75 editions will be distributed and sold among curators, institutions, museums, and collectors for diffusion and the promotion of La Curtiduria, coordinated by Marietta Bernstorff.

These unsigned editions, priced at only $550, aim to celebrate a Mexican printmaking tradition spearheaded by José Guadalupe Posada. Believing that art should be accessible to everyone, Posada encouraged the reproduction of printed images that might be purchased at affordable rates. Following this example, La Curtiduría has ensured that 125 editions remain unsigned and affordable. Participating artists will instead sign a certificate of authenticity that attests that to the originality of the artwork.

Participating artists:
Alejandro Echeverría, Óscar de las Flores, Luís Hampshire, Raúl Herrera, Damon Kowalski, Uriel Marín, Dionisio Martínez, Cristian Pineda, Demetrio Polgovsky, Emilia Sandoval, Alejandro Santiago, Filemón Santiago, Ana Santos, Smek, Hugo Stewart, Abraham Torres, Rosa Vallejo, Jessica Wozny, Francisco Verástegui, Francisco Toledo, Gabriel Macotela, Adriana Calatayud, Maries Mendiola, Demián Flores, Antonio Turok, Sergio Hernández, Guillermo Olguín, Gustavo Monroy, Boris Viskin, Fernando Aceves, René Almanza, Adriana Audiffred, Demetrio Barrita, Marietta Bernstorff, Mauricio Cervantes, César Chávez, David Domínguez, and Dr. Lakra.

Participating video artists:
Ojo de Agua, Nadia Massun, Adriana Calatayud, Demián Flores, Antonio Turok, Maries Mendiola and Esther Guízar, Jorge Santiago, Hector Ballesteros, Arcano 14, and Bruno Varela.

Magazines:
Luna Zeta, La Patria Ilustrada No. 1.