January 8, 2011
by Giovanni Carlo Marasco Flores
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Below are the finished results from one mural amongst the 16 that were painted during the first phase of Puebla Cuidad Mural in the barrio (neighbourhood) of Xanenetla in Puebla, Méxio.
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Gold Vegetable Pattern in full within dress context
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Mexo–American God of Fire
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Close–up of pattern, left side of dress
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Close up of pattern, centered
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Close–up of pattern, right side of dress
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Flowing hair, Clay candle holder and Hanging lantern
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Tlaloc the Meso–American Rain God
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Each house was to be painted after talking with the family about the theme that their house was inside of.
Three themes, who we were, who we are and who we would like to be. Our wall (and family) is inside the zone “Who we were”.
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Speaking with our family we found out that their house was once a clay pot and cooking stove factory, all articles made from clay.
There was no light in the barrio and that a generation behind all the children of the barrio were born at home (not a hospital) with the help of a partera (a rambo midwife).
The family also own and revere an image of the Virgin of Juquilita. An aparition of the Virgin in Oaxaca, they tell of the need to cut her ever growing hair every year and that she is very miraculous.
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During the interview process and discussions between myself and Comik Bonampak the original concept was to have the Virgin of Juquilita with the triangular dress is the middle of the building with her hair ever flowing and encompassing their home. On one side the clay articles were to flow down through the hair and on the other babies with the partera receiving them into the barrio.
As the members of Bonampak had alot of experiance painting and I had none, I decided to dedicate myself to creating the decorative elements which ended up being confined to the pattern for the Virgin’s dress.
I used food types for the pattern on the dress because the family earn their living cooking food at ferias (festivals) and picked ingredients they regularly use. Onions, Beans, Wheat, Corn, Chiles and Tomatos.
In this way the Virgin is to look after their livlihood and her hair their home.
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Later the babies and partera were omitted and the Meso-American heads of the
Rain God Tlaloc and the Fire God (whose name eludes me) were added.
I feel that our original concept was stronger but many things change during the execution of a collaborative project and such is life.
The family are happy and that is what is of the highest importance.
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Our family are now very proud of their house’s facade and for the first time made a fiesta for the Virgin inviting all to eat, have mass and dance through the night
Overall I learnt a lot and it was a privilege to work with such talented artists,
Comik Bonampak in particular. next time I will take on much much more
