Printmaking in Mexico

From Damon Kowarsky

On Saturday I arrived home after four months living, working and travelling in Mexico. It is an amazing country, and I had a wonderful time! Some of the art I made there can now be seen on the web at http://web.netcall.com.au/damon/mexicoemail.htm

The following might be of interest to printmakers thinking of working there:

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Taller Bambú

A capable if charmingly ad-hoc printmaking studio and workshop, much of it in the shade of an enormous and prolific passion fruit vine.

Taller Bambú has facilities for lithography (litografia), etching on copper and zinc (aguafuerte), relief on wood or lino (xilografia / linograbado) and silkscreen (serigafia) though equipment is basic by western standards. Arches paper, though expensive, is easily available in Oaxaca. Copper is best purchased and cut to size in advance in Mexico City. Casa Sanchez on Ayuntamiento, Centro Historico, was efficient and helpful in this regard.

I printed there for three weeks in October 2006, producing a suite of etchings on the theme of Mexican masks. You can see these here
http://web.netcall.com.au/damon/masks.htm

Taller Bambú is essentially a DIY facility though Abraham Torres, owner and manager, was happy to provide technical assistance and encouragement.

Spanish language only is spoken at the workshop, but nearby La Curtiduria Centre for Artistic Residence was able to help with introductions.

Taller Bambú

Martires de Tacuba 1/a #507
Col. Centro Oaxaca
OAXACA, Mexico

Tel 01 951 517 1013
Mobile 044 951 113 1141
zopilote1@hispavista.com

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La Curtiduria Centre for Artistic Residence

A new and evolving art, performance, gallery and residency space in Oaxaca de Juarez, Mexico.
The studio is located in a converted leather factory in a city rightly famed for its progressive and diverse artistic life.
La Curtiduria offers studio space and communal artistic and professional facilities to artists from Mexico, Latin America and around the globe.

Co-founded by painters Demián Flores and Oscar de las Flores, and writer and curator Hugo Stewart, La Curtiduria is seeking expressions of interest for future residency projects.

For more information contact Hugo Stewart or Oscar De Las Flores
La Curtiduria Centre for Artistic Residence
5 de mayo, 307
Barrio de Jalatlaco
Oaxaca
OAXACA Mexico
cp 68080
http://www.demianflorescortes.com/

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Taller de Experimentación Gráfica (TEG)
www.tegmex.com
TEG was in the process of moving to new facilities when I visited in October 2006.

TEG is dedicated to experimentation in the graphic arts and aims to facilitate artistic interchange though investigation and technological innovation. It offers facilities for all traditional media as well as laser cut and CNC routed techniques.

TEG offers professional editioning services and artistic residencies. These are for a maximum of 2 months. Invited artists receive food, lodging, and workshop access and in return grant the workshop an exhibition folio and proofs and tests arising from the residency.

For more information contact Jaime Abraham Tamayo Gomez