Living Vancouver Canada: Mexican Art in Vancouver - Huichol Art at UBC Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and at the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Mexican Art in Vancouver - Huichol Art at UBC Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and at the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum

Mexican Art in Vancouver - Huichol Art Exhibition at UBC Irving K. Barber Learning Centre

Huichol yarn painting (detail)- Huichol Art - Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver

Update 2012 Sep 06 - Both exhibitions have new pieces and some have been removed of what I originally posted on Aug 9.

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed August 9 of each year as the International Day of the World's Indigenous People. To be celebrated every year during the first International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (1995-2004) - UN Indigenous Day -.

As a way to celebrate this day there is a great opportunity by visiting the Huichol Art Exhibition of the Wixarica (Huichol) people of Mexico. It is exhibited at the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum of Greater Vancouver, and also at the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre of the (UBC) University of British Columbia presented by MexicoFest.

Mexican artist Modesto Rivera Lemus - Huichol Art - Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver

The exhibition at the UBC Irving K. Barber Learning Centre has 5 small beautiful Huichol beadwork pieces of marine sea turtles and a magical deer that represents both the power of maize to sustain the body and of the peyote cactus to feed and enlighten the spirit. (wikipedia).

The exhibition at the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum of Greater Vancouver has 3 large Huichol beadwork pieces of an eagle, a marine turtle and a jaguar, but also additional pieces has been added to this exhibition.

Mexican historian and anthropologist Fernando Benítez (1912-2000) states that the Huichols have probably maintained their ancient belief systems better than any other indigenous group in Mexico.

The religious faith of the Huichols is still based on a “trinity” of veneration of the deer, corn and peyote. The last is ritually gathered each year on a long pilgrimage to the desert area of San Luis Potosí, where the people are said to have originated and used by shamans.[2] The importance of this and the pantheon of gods is seen in their stylistic representations on just about everything that the Huichol decorate. They did not have a written language until recently, so these symbols were and are the primary form of preserving the ceremonies, myths and beliefs of ancient Huichol religion. (Wikipedia andFernando Benítez book 'Los Indios de México')

beaded jaguar - Huichol Art - Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver

Huichol yarn painting (detail)- Huichol Art - Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver

Huichol Art - Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver

Huichol yarn painting (detail)- Huichol Art - Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver

Beaded Marine turtle - Huichol Art - Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver

Huichol yarn painting (detail)- Huichol Art - Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver

beaded deer - Huichol Art - Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver

beaded horse - Huichol Art - Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver

Beaded Deer - Mexican Art in Vancouver - Huichol Art Exhibition at UBC Irving K. Barber Learning Centre

"Los indios de México son parte de nuestra comunidad policutural y multirracial. Olvidarlos es condenarnos al olvido a nosotros mismos. Los indios de México son el fiel de la balanza de nuestra posibilidad comunitaria. No seremos hombres ni mujeres justos si no compartimos la justicia con ellos. No seremos hombres y mujeres satisfechos si no compartimos el pan con ellos" Carlos Fuentes, San Jerónimo, mayo de 1989 Prólogo 'Los Indios de México' (antología) de Fernando Benítez.

Huichol.

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