Summary
YOU'VE MARVELED at straw applique crosses and become mesmerized by iconic images of saints. You've admired the craftsmanship of hand- carved furniture with forged iron hardware. You feel as though you've stepped back two centuries in time. Suddenly you're seeing santos made from computer chips, impressionistic landscapes and surreal paintings of New Mexican villages. The handcrafted furniture could fit the most modern home, and abstract monotypes are textured like woven tapestries. You've stepped back across the time line into the world of Contemporary Hispanic Market, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Thomas Romero, president of the board of El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe, sponsor of Contemporary Hispanic Market for the past seven years, said, "The whole point of El Museo and Contemporary Market is to promote the continuation of the Hispanic arts, not just the colonial." Before the start of Contemporary Hispanic Market, he said, "Every celebration of Hispanic arts included only that which outsiders decided was worthy of preserving. Yes, this needed to be preserved, and at least there was a champion, even if it was an outsider. There's nothing wrong with that: It's always good to preserve history. "But the public was getting the impression that it's all bultos and retablos, and that does not represent the community of artists. Contemporary artists were shut out of the mainstream." The market has grown steadily because of the artists' determination and, more recently, its affiliation with El Museo. What began as a small show in the courtyard of the Palace of the Governors now fills two blocks on Lincoln Avenue, with 140 participating artists. A Contemporary Hispanic Winter Market has been added. Contemporary Market is still governed and juried by the artists themselves. Edward Gonzales, one of the founders, feels strongly that artists shouldn't be "pigeonholed" based on race. "We don't tell anybody what sort of art they should be producing; we have no formulas for people to follow," he said. "The bottom line is talent and creativity. It's not in our best interest to stereotype or formulize in any way. It's about resp ect for artistic freedom and creativity." Current market chairwoman Ramona Vigil-Eastwood stresses the high standards set by the artists. "We strive to get the artists to do their very best," she said. "If we see something out of line, we let the artist know we won't accept that quality." Setting high standards pays off in large and appreciative crowds, said Vigil-Eastwood, who designs handcrafted, limited-edition jewelry. Like many market artists, she sees her work as a continuation of traditional art forms. "Somewhere in our roots the traditional is still in us. We just give it that extra flair into the contemporary." Judy Ortiz has served on the governing committee for 17 years. Although her New Mexican roots go back for generations, Ortiz has never had a desire to create Spanish colonial art. Her impressionistic landscapes reflect her love of the land. "It's really fun to see all the creativity out there, and we're glad we're able to provide a venue for it," she said. "Every year we get 70 or 80 new artists trying out for market." It's a place where artists can follow their dreams, literally. Maria Lorraine Vigil's love of woodworking came from watching her grandfather, Balta Apolonio Martinez. She is the first female carver in her family. Vigil describes her work as traditional with a contemporary twist. Like many traditional artists before her, designs for her art often come to her in dreams. Vigil's cruzitas (small crosses) and cositas (small things, such as boxes) look so traditional that people ask why she isn't in the traditional market. "In contemporary you can be as creative as you want," she said. "In traditional you have to follow a lot of guidelines. My grandfather was one of the first people in traditional market, but I don't think his work would be accepted today." Unlike traditional market, Contemporary Hispanic Market is open to all New Mexico residents of Hispanic descent, whether they were born here or not. This provides a venue for artists like Martin Palacios and Armando Adrian Lopez, both originally from Mexico. Lopez has been in New Mexico for 19 years and Palacios for seven. Palacios creates detailed landscapes and images of saints with repuse (bas-relief), a Russian art form that passed through Europe and Spain to Mexico. An image is pressed into thin metal, filled with plaster to preserve the shape, then finished with patinas. Palacios sp ent several years in Nevada, where his frescos, fountains and other architectural art were in high demand. "Contemporary Hispanic Market is very important because it provides an opportunity to learn more about the cultural life of the people," Palacios said. "It promotes different cultural roots, different materials, not only traditional but also contemporary." Lopez is best known for his mixed-media sculptures of saints and mythical beings. His inspiration came from traditional santos (saints) made from pasta de cana (cornhusks) found in the churches of Mexico. Lopez collects natural materials like gourds, cornhusks, straw and bindweed. Finished sculptures are embellished with seed pearls and stones, including rubies and emeralds. His elaborate creations can take 80 hours of intensive work. Lopez likes Contemporary Market's mixedmedia classification because "I can use any material to express myself. I love some of the work in traditional market: It's breathtaking. But I cannot see myself in traditional." Gonzales said one of the greatest contributions of Contemporary Market is to provide a venue for young artists to show their work. "Contemporary Market is creating its own tradition as an art event, supporting new and contemporary art," he said. "It's a way of showing young, talented people that there is a way to make their living creating their art and encouraging them to follow their dream."
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