ENSAMBLE ARTESANO
2021 | PRODUCT DESIGN, CURATORSHIP, ART DIRECTION
Ensamble Artesano is a non-profit initiative created by Fundación Haciendas del Mundo Maya, partner of the United Nations Development Program in Mexico (UNDP) that began in May 2020.
Aiming to support artisans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ensamble Artesano emerged as a program to provide a space for exchange between artisan groups and designers. This initiative collaborates with more than 36 allied organizations with experience in working with Mexican communities.
Art Direction: Fabiola Pérez and Natalia Del Río
Modeling: Renata Pereira and Abel Sánchez
Photography: Viridiana Sánchez
Styling: Rodrigo de Noriega
Through formal value chains, Ensamble seeks to guarantee a fair income for families and communities that preserve their heritage and cultural identity. The goal is to contribute to the maintenance of the artisan activity with the production of a collection of limited edition pieces, under the curatorship and creative direction of the Ensamble Artesano team itself.
ART DIRECTION FOR LAUNCHING CAMPAIGN RESPONSIBILITIES:
Concept Development: understanding the goals and objectives of the shoot, brainstorming ideas, and creating a visual mood board.
Budgeting and Scheduling: managing the budget and scheduling the shoot. This involves working with the production team to determine the costs of equipment, location, and props, and ensuring that the shoot stays on schedule.
Set Design: Responsible for overseeing the set design, including the choice of location, props, and decor. This involves ensuring that the set is consistent with the creative concept and that it is visually appealing.
During my participation in Ensamble Artesano, in the initial phase of production, I was in charge of training various artisan groups and, simultaneously, we jointly designed pieces for the limited edition collection.
The intention in the design process was focused on the use of local resources, and showcasing the artisan skills of women with products of greater format and detail than they were used to.
PARTNERS
Asamblea de los Pueblos Indígenas del Istmo de Tehuantepec:
Xhumpirinisa coat: These pieces are made with the chain embroidery technique on velvet fabric, as the huipiles of that region are made. This contemporary proposal is based on the traditional technique and makes it unique as it is made up of drawings I made with the members of the social enterprise who talk about day-to-day life in the countryside (see image 1).
Niu Matat Napawika - Red Binacional de Mujeres:
Palma lamps: collection of luminaires made of knotted palm made by the artisans of the Social Enterprise of Artisan Women of Tzicatlacoyan (see image 2).
Banca Zimatlán: made with artisans from San Antonino el Alto, Oaxaca with palm that is acquired directly in the region (see image 3).
Bikiyá purses: made through weaving beads with needle, in Chihuahua, by the Rarámuri artisanal group: mujeres artesanas Semati Koroka (see image 4).
PRODUCT DESIGN
TALLER MAYA
Video created for the Haciendas del Mundo Maya NGO about the Sansiviera artisanal creation process. Community of Tankuché, Yucatán.