Mask Arts of Mexico - Softcover

Lechuga, Ruth D.; Sayer, Chloe

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0500277974 ISBN 13: 9780500277973

Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd, 1994

Synopsis

In rural Mexico, festivals and their attendant dances mark the high point of local life. Old and New World traditions have fused to forge an awe-inspiring range of masks, their makers the creative equal of any craftsmen working today. The brilliantly coloured and wonderfully creative masks that bring to life the pages of "Mask Arts of Mexico" are made from materials - wood, clay, leather, paper, cloth, gourds, wire-mesh, wax - that are as diverse as their abundant signs of artistry, vitality, beauty and wit. Most of the masks have been specially photographed in Mexico by David Lavender. Ruth Lechuga and Chloe Sayer have organized them into themes: male, female, animal, supernatural or religious, and abstract or fantastic. The spectacular results range from the finely carved masks of the "Black" negros of Michoacan, to extraordinary tiger masks - with their mirror eyes, whiskers and real teeth. Throughout history, masks have enthralled human beings, from kings to collectors to today's travellers. These are some of the most remarkable ever seen. Ruth D. Lechuga, a distinguished ethnographer, has lived in Mexico since 1939. Her celebrated collection of Mexican popular art includes over a thousand masks. Chloe Sayer's many acclaimed publications about Mexico include "Arts and Crafts of Mexico" (1990) and "The Traditional Architecture of Mexico" (with Mariana Yampolsky, 1994), both published by Thames and Hudson. David Lavender has worked for many years for the London "Sunday Times" amongst other newspapers and magazines.

About this title

Synopsis

In rural Mexico, festivals and their attendant dances mark the high point of local life. Old and New World traditions have fused to forge an awe-inspiring range of masks, their makers the creative equal of any craftsmen working today. The brilliantly coloured and wonderfully creative masks that bring to life the pages of "Mask Arts of Mexico" are made from materials - wood, clay, leather, paper, cloth, gourds, wire-mesh, wax - that are as diverse as their abundant signs of artistry, vitality, beauty and wit. Most of the masks have been specially photographed in Mexico by David Lavender. Ruth Lechuga and Chloe Sayer have organized them into themes: male, female, animal, supernatural or religious, and abstract or fantastic. The spectacular results range from the finely carved masks of the "Black" negros of Michoacan, to extraordinary tiger masks - with their mirror eyes, whiskers and real teeth. Throughout history, masks have enthralled human beings, from kings to collectors to today's travellers. These are some of the most remarkable ever seen. Ruth D. Lechuga, a distinguished ethnographer, has lived in Mexico since 1939.

Her celebrated collection of Mexican popular art includes over a thousand masks. Chloe Sayer's many acclaimed publications about Mexico include "Arts and Crafts of Mexico" (1990) and "The Traditional Architecture of Mexico" (with Mariana Yampolsky, 1994), both published by Thames and Hudson. David Lavender has worked for many years for the London "Sunday Times" amongst other newspapers and magazines.

About the Author

Ruth D. Lechuga is a lecturer, teacher, and author of numerous books and articles on Mexican folk art. Her impressive collection of Mexican popular art includes textiles, pottery, and over one thousand masks. She lives in Mexico City. Chloe Sayer has authored many acclaimed publications about Mexican art including Arts and Crafts of Mexico (Chronicle Books, 1990) and The Traditional Architecture of Mexico (with Maria Yampolsky). She lives in London. David Lavender was the photographer for Arts and Crafts of Mexico. He has worked for many years for the London Sunday Times and other prestigious newspapers and magazines.

Edition details

• Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd
• Publication date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0500277974
• ISBN 13: 9780500277973
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 96