Exhibition
Main Exhibition
Rossendale Museum 9th February – 27th April 2008
¡Viva Mexico! A celebration of Mexican Arts & Crafts
This vibrant celebration of the arts and crafts of Mexico will delight the eye and enliven all your senses. ¡Viva Mexico! is a rare opportunity to experience the brilliant colours and stunning designs of the country’s many regions. Discover how strong tradition mixes with the contemporary and try some of the craft techniques yourself. This show is an ideal introduction to the vibrancy and vitality of Mexican culture.
Rossendale Museum, Whitaker Park, Haslingden Road,
Rawtenstall, Rossendale BB4 6RE
Telephone: 01706 260785
Open Tuesday – Thursday and Saturday – Sunday 1-4pm
Closed Monday and Friday
Admission Free
Email: rossendale.museum@mus.lancscc.gov.uk
www.lancsmuseums.gov.uk
¡Viva Mexico! photographs at Café Artisan
A selection of photographs of Mexican arts and crafts and their makers by David Lavender is showing at Café Artisan, complementing the exhibition at Rossendale Museum and takes Mexico right into town!
Café Artisan … café by day, bar by night!
1 Brook Street
Bury Road
Rawtenstall
BB4 6AA
Tel 01706 211114
Wednesday 11.00am to 3.00pm
Thursday to Saturday 11.00am to 11pm
Sunday 11.00 to 4.00pm
Some recent ¡Viva Mexico! visitors’ comments …
“Joyful and wonderous, a refreshing exhibition. Thank you.”
“Good and interesting. Lots of pretty patterns and good drawings and art ideas.”
“Fantastic! Vibrant! Colourful! Really enjoyed it. Will come back!”
“I feel very homesick and proud. It really reflects what Mexicans are all about. Thanks! ¡Muchas Gracias!”
“Gorgeous, really inspired me for my art GCSE on Mexico.”
¡Viva Mexico! at the Museum of Lancashire boasts some exciting new additions. A new section to the exhibition explores Mexico’s tradition of masked wrestling ‘Lucha Libre’ with a series of stunning photographs by David Lavender, toys and action figures. These modern-day action heroes hold a key place in Mexican popular culture
We are thrilled to be able to show new work by ceramic artists Tiburcio and Israel Soteno. Both artists created vibrant new ‘trees of life’ during their residency at Green Close Studios in the village of Melling, North Lancashire at the beginning of the project.
Tiburcio’s ‘El Canto de Lancaster’ (The Song of Lancaster) reflects his feelings and responses to his time spent living and work in North Lancashire. Come and see if you recognise the many themes and stories he has captured in clay. His son, Israel’s ‘Mexico Lindo’ (Beautiful Mexico) presents a vision of cultural stories and emblems from his homeland. Preston is the only venue for you to see Israel’s ‘Mexico Lindo’.
Tom Urry’s new documentary film ‘El Canto’ premiers at the Museum of Lancashire and tours with the exhibition. Tom captures Tiburcio’s working method, the story of his residency in Melling and how ‘El Canto de Lancaster’ came into being.
www.lancsmuseums.gov.uk
Previous Dates & Events:
Saturday 12th May 1pm
Specialist talk by Chloë Sayer
The talk is free and will last for about an hour.
Monday 14th May 11.30am
Guided tour of the exhibition by collector & curator Chloë Sayer
Join Chloë Sayer as she talks through her collection which is on display in the exhibition. This event is free and will last for about an hour.
Friday 25th May 10am - 5pm
Meet the artists at the Museum
Mexican ceramic artists Tiburcio & Israel Soteno will be working in the gallery demonstrating their specialist making techniques to the public.
Saturday 2nd June, 7th July & 4th August 10.30am – 3.30pm
¡Viva Mexico! Family Friendly Art Workshops
Working with professional artists come along and explore the exhibition and have the opportunity to create something of your own to take home and keep. Artists will be working with puppets,masks and mixed media.
Free drop-in sessions no booking necessary.
Previous Exhibitions:
Museum of Lancashire, Preston 29th September 2007 – 26th January 2008
¡Viva Mexico! A celebration of Mexican Arts & Crafts
Museum of Lancashire, Stanley Street, Preston PR1 4YP
Telephone: 01772 534075
Email: museums.enquiries@mus.lancscc.gov.uk
www.lancsmuseums.gov.uk
Lancaster City Museum 12th May – 8th September 2007
Lancaster City Museum, Market Square, Lancaster LA1 1HT
Telephone: 01524 64637
Email: Lancaster.citymuseum@mus.lancscc.gov.uk
www.lancsmuseums.gov.uk
A range of activities will accompany both of these exhibitions including a talk by specialist curator Chloë Sayer and a series of art workshops. Please contact the museums for further details.
Information about the professionals:
Chloë Sayer is a freelance specialist in Mexican art and culture. She has lectured for galleries and museums in Great Britain, Mexico, Canada and Ireland. Her many books include MEXICAN TEXTILES (British Museum Press, 1990), THE ARTS AND CRAFTS OF MEXICO (Thames & Hudson, 1990) and TEXTILES FROM MEXICO (British Museum Press, 2002). She is the co-author of THE SKELETON AT THE FEAST: THE MEXICAN DAY OF THE DEAD (British Museum Press, 1991), TRADITIONAL MEXICAN ARCHITECTURE (Thames & Hudson, 1993) and MASK ARTS OF MEXICO (Thames & Hudson, 1994).
Chloë Sayer has made ethnographic collections and carried out fieldwork in Mexico and Belize for the British Museum. She has curated exhibitions of Mexican folk art, and has worked on a number of television documentaries about Mexico for Channel 4 and the BBC.
Sue Ashworth
Sue Ashworth has been working in Museums since 1982 - first in London and then in Lancashire. After a Foundation Course in Art & Design at Goldsmiths College and a History of Art degree at University College London, Sue took a conscious decision to work in small museums where she knew an array of skills would be needed across a full range of subject disciplines (costume, fine and decorative arts, social and industrial history etc), and ability to work on outreach and community projects as well as more traditional curatorial skills.
For the last 8-10 years the arts have been reasserting their pull on her personal and working priorities. In 1999/2000 Sue worked closely on with public arts consultants in order to develop and deliver the public arts and interpretations schemes of the River Lune Millennium Park. In this project 12 artists in a wide range of media worked with Lancaster City Council to create a suite of artworks along the River Lune.
Since then Sue has been looking for ways to marry together museum work with the creative arts. ¡Viva Mexico! achieves this goal - a particularly satisfying partnership scheme with Green Close Studios.
