Christian M. R.
Christian is a prodigious textile artist from Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca. He makes works of art using a pedal loom to make fascinating wool tapestries, woven with all-natural dyes. Since the age of 8, Christian was taught by both his father and grandfather how to make traditional designs like frets and diamonds. After years practicing and perfecting his art, the artist began learning a different kind of weaving called "interlacing" to create more complex drawings and more realistic designs. Christian's work represents Zapotec culture, who are known as "the people of the clouds" (bënñ- Zaä). He attempts to express feeling in each weave, texture, and in each symbol he uses, for each color has a different meaning and impact on each person. Christian is very proud of his art and his heritage. He believes there is tremendous value for him to continue creating an artform that is connected to an ancient culture, and practiced for generations before him. He hopes to keep going so that this culture is never lost and so he can teach the next generations. In 2020, Friends of Oaxacan Folk Art (FOFA) invited him to be part of a virtual exhibition called "Oaxacan Artisans in the Time of Covid-19." This same year he won first prize in a competition called "Folk Art before the Coronavirus" organized by Seculta. Towards the end of 2020, Christian also obtained the First Prize at the national level for the "VIII National Competition for Textiles and Shawls" organized by FONART. Today, Christian is focused on creating new proposals for textile art, using new materials to create different textures and uses natural dyes to care for the environment.
Christian M. R.
Christian is a prodigious textile artist from Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca. He makes works of art using a pedal loom to make fascinating wool tapestries, woven with all-natural dyes. Since the age of 8, Christian was taught by both his father and grandfather how to make traditional designs like frets and diamonds. After years practicing and perfecting his art, the artist began learning a different kind of weaving called "interlacing" to create more complex drawings and more realistic designs. Christian's work represents Zapotec culture, who are known as "the people of the clouds" (bënñ- Zaä). He attempts to express feeling in each weave, texture, and in each symbol he uses, for each color has a different meaning and impact on each person. Christian is very proud of his art and his heritage. He believes there is tremendous value for him to continue creating an artform that is connected to an ancient culture, and practiced for generations before him. He hopes to keep going so that this culture is never lost and so he can teach the next generations. In 2020, Friends of Oaxacan Folk Art (FOFA) invited him to be part of a virtual exhibition called "Oaxacan Artisans in the Time of Covid-19." This same year he won first prize in a competition called "Folk Art before the Coronavirus" organized by Seculta. Towards the end of 2020, Christian also obtained the First Prize at the national level for the "VIII National Competition for Textiles and Shawls" organized by FONART. Today, Christian is focused on creating new proposals for textile art, using new materials to create different textures and uses natural dyes to care for the environment.