My previous Sunday Morning Art posts have tended to be of big art, recognizable names and recognizable styles. I’m thinking of taking it in a different direction for awhile, not that I have a following lol or a wide readership, but I wanted to give a brief outline of what I’m going to try and do- and that’s looking for art in less obvious places. Call it ‘found art’ if you want to, but I’m hoping this is going to make me look a little harder to find art and beauty in places and things that aren’t traditionally considered 'museum worthy’.
Kicking off with an example of alternative publishing. A colleague lent me this handmade book of Mexican poetry, Anthología Nawatlahtolli.
Written in Náhuatl with Spanish and English translations, it seeks to 'link new generations with their grandparents, myth and legend narrators, oral tradition experts….awakening interest for preserving written ancestral roots….we started this autonomous cardboard workshop project with Zongolica children and young people, náhuatl speakers most of them, so they could illustrate and write a book from their own cosmology.’
Here’s an excerpt of a poem, 'Mikailuitl/ Día de muertos/ Death’s Day’, in all three languages. By Sixto Cabrera González:
…Nikinxotlaltia tlauiltij istakej iuan nikneki nitlamanas ika mikatleokoyal mamastik itlampa inin ilitl tlapoyauatok nekaj itlalnamikiayan tlapipistol mokitskijok itech motennakayo.
…Enciendo las velas blancas y quiero ofrendar luto ramificado bajo este ilite nocturno a la memoria del beso cautivo en la peña de tus labios.
…I light white candles and I want to offer a ramified mourning under this nightly alder tree to the memory of an imprisoned kiss on the crag of your lips.
The initiative is called Iguanazul if you’re the kind of person who would be interested in reading more about them. I just wanted to share something I found heartening and beautifully crafted.
