AFRO-MEXICAN A SHARED CULTURAL COLLECTION
C
osta Chica is a region along the south coast of of the state of Guerrero, Mexico,
extending from Acapulco to the Oaxaca border. Together with the area of Costa Chica Oaxaca, both areas are known for their significant population of Afro-Mexicans who settled in the area as escaped slaves. Today, Afro-Mexicans are mostly distinguished by skin color, body languages and vocabulary. The region’s social context has being ignored and misunderstood throughout time. This collection, curated by Mercado369, identifies a few of the most well known artists of the region who through their work they reflect the past and present identitiy of this shared cultural identity.
Charrasco | Baltazar Castellano Meló | Oaxaca | $700
The charrasco, or donkey jawb, is a musical instrument in the afromexican towns. Its use is not exclusive to the Costa Chica region, but also used in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Costa Rica, Peru, Guatemala, Belize and souther Chile. It’s originis can be traced back to sub-Sharan Africa where zebra jaw bones are played in the same way today, by rubbing a stick against the teeth and punding the jaw.
Te Pienso | Tomás Pineda Matus | Oaxaca | 29.5 x 39.5cm | $550
Born in Oaxaca, Mexico, Tomás Pineda Matus studied at the Taller de Artes Plasticas at the Instituto Tecnologico in Istmo and the Taller de Artes Plasticas Rufino Tamayo. He studied under masters Shinzaburo Takeda, Juan Alcazar, Antonio Perez, and Charles Barth. Matus composes his paintings with the qualities and characteristics recreated from the ancient world. It was during one of his visits to the Museum of Natural History in the United States that he discovered the use of transforming iconography in to a cultural expression. His iconocography is totemix and expresses forms such as bulls, marine figures and masks. Women have also being an important subject in Matu’s work. Based on observations, Matus depicts scenes where women with their fine features and elongated bodies with different articles as offerings.
Tomรกs Pineda Matus
Tu Recuerdo, Tu Presencia | Tomรกs Pineda Matus Oaxaca | 29.5 x 39.5 cm | $550
Abrazo a la Abundancia | Tomรกs Pineda Matus Oaxaca | 29.5 x 39.5 cm | $550
Yo, Nostalgia | Tomรกs Pineda Matus Oaxaca| 29.5 x 39.5cm |$550
SOLD | Belleza (4/20) | Tomรกs Pineda Matus Oaxaca | lithograph | 40 x 36 cm | $470
Belleza de la Habana I | Tomรกs Pineda Matus Oaxaca | lithograph | 40 x 36 cm | $290
Belleza de la Habana III | Tomรกs Pineda Matus Oaxaca | lithograph | 40 x 36 cm | $290
Belleza de la Habana II | Tomรกs Pineda Matus Oaxaca | lithograph | 40 x 36 cm | $290
Mujer ร rbol-Venado, 2019| Tomรกs Pineda Matus | Oaxaca oil on canvas | 140 x 110cm | $5500
Deidades Del Rio, 2019| Tomรกs Pineda Matus | Oaxaca oil on canvas | 140 x 110cm | $5500
Entre Flores las Miradas| Tomรกs Pineda Matus | Oaxaca | oil on canvas | 140 x110 cm | $5500
El Arbolito | Tomรกs Pineda Matus | Oaxaca | oil on canvas | 110 x 95 cm | $2400
Personaje Entre Cuadrúpedos | Tomás Pineda Matus | Oaxaca | oil on canvas | $3700
Que Hermoso tus Pasos| Tomás Pineda Matus Oaxaca | lithograph | 60 x 70 cm | $1550
La Historia del Día Azul, 2012| Tomás Pineda Matus Oaxaca | lithograph | 60x115 cm | $1900
El Recuerdo de Tus Brazos, 2012 | Tomรกs Pineda Matus | Oaxaca lithograph | 60 x 70cm | $1550
Anhelo de Tauro, 2012| Tomรกs Pineda Matus | Oaxaca lithograph | 60 x 70 cm | $1550
Baltazar Castellano Meló
Baltazar Castellano Melo was born in Cuajinicuilapa, Guerreo, near the border of Oaxaca. Like most people of the Costa Chica region, Baltazar is a mixed Afro-Mexican. Melo’s work strongly reflects the region’s current social context, which has left the people ignored and misunderstood. Using his art as a medium, Melo acts as an advocate and lifts his voice for his people. Melo not only reflects his view of the people’s past and present but he also studies in detail everything about their music, dances and all that makes up each and every one of them. His techniques falls under constant change and innovation drawing him to experiment new materials and mediums throughout all his works. Melo’s work has been exhibited in museums such as Museo Amparo in Puebla and Agusta Savage Gallery in University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Enamorando a la Acateca | Baltazar Castellano Meló Mexico | mixed media on wood | 41 x 32cm | $850
Cosmos en Azul | Baltazar Castellano Melรณ | Mexico | oil on canvas | 222 x 90cm | $1200
La Chicotiza de la Independencia | Baltazar Castellano Melรณ | Mexico mixed medium on wood | 41 x 30cm | $1500
Marcela| Baltazar Castellano Melรณ | Mexico | oil on canvas 130 x 75cm | $850
La Trinidad, 2016| Baltazar Castellano Melรณ | Mexico | acrylic on canvas | 76 x 130 cm | $850
Chirimia, 2017 | Baltazar Castellano Mel贸 | Mexico acrylic on canvas | 50 x 50cm | $600
El Dorado | Baltazar Castellano Mel贸 | Mexico acrylic on canvas | 50 x 50cm | $600
Aventura, 2017 | Baltazar Castellano Mel贸 | Mexico acrylic on canvas | 45 x 50 cm | $600
Relampago, 2017 | Baltazar Castellano Mel贸 | Mexico acrylic on canvas | 50 x 50cm | $600
Diablo de la Historia | Baltazar Castellano Melรณ | Mexico acrylic on canvas | 50 x 100cm | $1200
Simbolos Lucy | Baltazar Castellano Mel贸 oil on canvas | 48 x 36cm | $300
En el Aguaje | Baltazar Castellano Mel贸 oil on canvas | 35 x 24cm | $300
Abrazo a la Mar | Baltazar Castellano Mel贸 oil on canvas | 24 x 39.5cm | $300
El Kolorado Cebu | Baltazar Castellano Mel贸 oil on canvas | 35 x 24cm | $300
Maromeros de Tototepec | Baltazar Castellano Melรณ | Mexico | mixed media | 94 x 200cm | $1500
El Balconazo | Baltazar Castellano Melรณ Mexico | ceramic | $1200
Una Pose Inesperada | Baltazar Castellano Melรณ Mexico | ceramic | $1200
Aydeé Rodríguez López El Redondo | Aydeé Rodríguez López | Mexico acrylic | 59 x 54cm | $600
Arroyo Zambu, 2015 | Aydeé Rodríguez López | Mexico oil on canvas | 70 x 70cm | $950
Aydeé Rodríguez López is originally from the Costa Chica region of Guerrero. She is the daughter of farmers and discovered her love of painting since she was elleven years old. Due to the difficult economic situation in her town, Aydeé moved to Mexico City and lived with an aunt who shared with her the interest in painting. It was when she was thirty-eight years old that Aydeé grew her confidence to start a real painting. She was then motivated to re-collect her ancestors’ stories and her mixed culture. Today, Aydeé’s work has been exhibited in cities such as Los Angeles and Chicago. In each of her works, Aydeé focuses on to telling a different story that reflects her past and creates a conversation about the present and future.
Ex Hacienda de Guadalupe Collantes, 2015 | Aydeé Rodríguez López | Mexico oil on canvas | 198 x 148cm | $5000
El Negro Yanga, 2011 | Aydeé Rodríguez López | Mexico oil on canvas | 120 x 100cm | $1200
Cazadores de Hombres, 2013 | Aydeé Rodríguez López Mexico | oil on canvas | 119 x 140cm | $1500
Hacienda Trata Negra, 2017 | Aydeé Rodríguez López Mexico | oil on canvas | 115 x 99 cm | $1300
Migración, 2018 | Aydeé Rodríguez López | Mexico | oil on canvas 134 x 93cm | $1500
La Huida de un Angel Negro | Aydeé Rodríguez López Mexico | mixed media | 65 x 44cm | $900
Tatachu, 2010 | Aydeé Rodríguez López Mexico | oil on canvas | 100 x 100cm | $1400
YUYÉ
SOLD | Mujer Pensante | Yuyé | Mexico | acryclic on canvas 23.5 x 31.5cm | $900
Yuyé Hernández Nicolás is known for her Afro-Mexican background and art. As a woman with no limits, Yuyé has learned to take care of herself and follow her love of art all with the use of only her legs. As a leader of her community, Yuye has dedicated her skills to work on recognizing Afro-Mexican women and their courage, intelligence and tenacity.
SOLD | Desamor | Yuyé | Mexico | acrylic on canvas 23.5 x 31.5cm | $900
SOLD | La Aventura | Yuyé | Mexico acrylic on canvas | 23.5 x 23.5cm | $700 SOLD | Madre e Hija | Yuyé | Mexico acrylic on canvas | 27.5 x 39cm | $1500
MARIO GUZMAN
Mujer con Lagarto | Mario Guzman | Mexico | lithograph 35 x 26.5cm | $1400
Mario Guzman is known as an artist and activist. He started as the main leader of the Cimarron Cultural Center in Oaxaca, Mexico. The Cimarron is a twenty-five years old center recognizing the need to develop economic opportunities for the youth in the Costa Chica region. Guzman’s work can not only be seen interenationally throughout differenet exhibitions but throughout svereal streets in thee Oaxaca region. His streete art has lead a revolution and activisim group within the youth.
Funereal | Mario Guzman | Mexico | lithograph | 20 x 22.5cm | $1400
Hombres de Sal | Mario Guzman | Mexico | lithograph | 23 x 49cm | $1500
La Danza Arteza | Elder Avila | Mexico | lithograph 24 x 31.5cm | $500
La Otra Mirada | R.V.P.J | Mexico | lithograph | 22 x 32cm | $500
MASKS
MASCARAS DE PALMA Mascaras de Palma | Ivan Piza | Mexico painted palm leaf | $450 each
Mascaras de Palma | Ivan Piza | Mexico painted palm leaf | $450 each
MASCARAS DE DIABLOS
Mascara Diablo I | Mexico natural materials | $1500 e/a
Mascara Calabera Vaca | Mexico cow skull | $1500
Mascara Diablo II | Mexico wood | $1000 e/a
Mascara Afro | Mexico wood | $450
Mascara I | Miguel Angel | Oaxaca wood | $250
Mascara II | Miguel Angel | Oaxaca wood | $200