FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jess Cherofsky// 617 . 441 . 5400 x 15 // jess@cs.org
Boston to Welcome Ancient Traditions Showcased in Rare Handwoven Rugs from Mexico and Nepal
Indigenous Art Show Features Crafts, Makers, and Social Impact
Boston, MA (November 2016) - On December 10 and 11, and on December 16-18, the Greater Boston Area will have at its fingertips woven textiles from across the world. Featured will be handmade rugs, carpets, and more by Porfirio Gutierrez from Mexico, and by the Yangma Weavers Cooperative from Nepal.
Zapotecan weaver Porfirio Gutierrez and his family follow in their ancestors’ footsteps, weaving sheep’s wool. “Their village, Teotitlán del Valle in Oaxaca, has been famous for the art of weaving for centuries. Nearby ruins that date back as far as 500 BC still stand decorated with the same patterns and symbols that are used in today's designs,” their website says. Maintaining this art has been increasingly difficult to sustain financially because of a poor economy and a lack of tourism.
This December, watch Gutierrez demonstrate natural dyeing from sources such as oak wood, indigo, cochineal insect, zapote fruit, and pecan leaves.
Attendees will also appreciate Himalayan sheep's wool carpets made with hand-carved tools and vegetable dyes by the Yangma Traditional Weavers Cooperative. This cooperative was founded to maintain Tibetan weaving heritage and support Tibet/Nepal border villagers. Financial need drives family members to cities to look for work, which wreaks havoc on families and communities. Yangma aims to provide village women sustainable livelihoods to make it possible for villagers to remain with their families.
Both weaving groups have been featured at the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market.
Since 1982, Cultural Survival Bazaars have provided a market for thousands of Indigenous artists and cooperatives spanning six continents and over sixty countries. Each year the Bazaars generate about half a million dollars for Indigenous artists, performers, and projects. Cultural Survival, an international NGO based in Cambridge, MA, advocates for Indigenous Peoples' rights and supports Indigenous communities’ self-determination, cultures and political resilience.
Bazaar attendees will enjoy these textiles among other crafts, including silver and turquoise jewelry from Macedonia and North America, respectively, pottery from Nicaragua, textiles from Peru, bark cloth from Uganda, paintings from Guatemala, and more. One attendee has said, "It's like a trip around the world's bazaars.
High resolution photos available upon request
Cultural Survival Bazaars Website
Cultural Survival Official Website
Bazaars on Facebook - news, vendor updates
Event Information:
December 10-11, 2016
Cambridge Rindge and Latin School
459 Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02138
Saturday and Sunday 10am - 5pm
Free admission
Free parking
Live music TBA
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December 16-18, 2016
Prudential Center
Belvidere and Huntington Arcades
800 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02199
Enter at the corner of Huntington Ave. and Belvidere St. (Elevator and escalator access at this entrance)
Friday and Saturday 10am-10pm
Sunday 10am-8pm
Free admission
2 minutes from Prudential Station on “E” line on Green line
Across the street from 39 bus stop
10-minute walk from Mass Ave. stop on the Orange Line
Several paid parking garages in the area
Live music TBA
