Folk art made by hand
Workshops, materials and trades: black clay, papel picado, alebrijes, textiles and the people who keep them alive.
Art videos
Art articles
The journey to Mictlan: nine regions, four years and a dog that knows the way
For the Mexica, dying did not mean receiving reward or punishment: it meant setting out on a journey. This is the route the deceased took to Mictlan, through colliding mountains, obsidian winds and a river that could only be crossed with a dog’s help.
August 2026
The Red That Crossed the Ocean: Cochineal Between Kings and Rembrandt
From the Mexican nopal came one of the most coveted pigments of the early modern era. Cochineal clothed European elites, circulated across empires, and helped create the deep reds of painting, including Rembrandt’s palette.
August 2026
The Carnival of San Martín Tilcajete: When the Town Paints on Another Face
In San Martín Tilcajete, the days leading up to Lent fill the streets with paint, masks, music and satire. Carnival is a collective work where devils, brides, old men and mock authorities hold up a mirror to the town, one as ancient as it is ever-shifting.
August 2026
Voladores de Papantla: What Is the Flight For?
The history, symbols, and purpose of the Voladores de Papantla ceremony: a plea for rain and fertility that connects art, territory, memory, and community life.
August 2026
Five Pueblos Mágicos to See Beyond the Picture-Postcard View
Five of Mexico’s best-known towns, told beyond the picture-postcard view: their origins, heritage, legends, conflicts and the responsibilities that come with visiting them.
August 2026
La Llorona: Where the Cry That Echoes Across Mexico Comes From
La Llorona does not have a single origin: her lament brings together ancient Nahua omens, colonial figures, religious guilt, and modern fears. We explore her many versions, her debated connection to Cihuacóatl and Malintzin, and her journey through film and the canals of Xochimilco.
August 2026
Five Mexican Artisan Towns You Have to Visit
A route through San Bartolo Coyotepec, Santa Clara del Cobre, Santa María del Río, San Pablito, and Tonalá to discover clay, metal, textiles, paper, and ceramics in local workshops, with tips for buying in an informed and respectful way.
August 2026
The Metal That Remembers: Hammered Copper in Santa Clara
From Mesoamerican metallurgical knowledge to today’s workshops in Santa Clara del Cobre: a story of fire, rhythm, adaptation and Purépecha memory written in hammer blows.
August 2026
Alebrijes: The Young Monsters Mexico Turned into Tradition
Alebrijes did not emerge from a pyramid or appear in the codices: they were born in the 20th century, between Pedro Linares’s cartonería workshop and the Oaxacan carvings that later transformed the idea. This is the story of a young, collective tradition that is still evolving.
August 2026
From Copal to Creature: How a Fantastic Carving Is Born in Oaxaca
From the tree chosen with patience to the final dot of paint: we follow the process behind the fantastic copal carvings made in Oaxaca’s Central Valleys, with their tools, timelines, family knowledge and the essential care of the forest.
August 2026