“Cultures are maps of meaning through which the world is made intelligible.”
—Peter Jackson, Geographer
Making a Cross-Cultural Portrait
To individualize their experience,
each student created a portrait
of a peer, inspired by the art and
textiles of Latin America. Student
models were dressed in traditional
garb from Mexico and Guatemala.
Through a mixed-media approach, I
encouraged students to:
• develop rich and complex artwork
while learning to become skillful
in a variety of mixed media.
• understand the sequential process
in making art.
• think divergently while solving
creative problems.
• learn art history, criticism, aesthetics, and art style.
Mayan Trajes (traditional clothing)
There is symbolic meaning behind the motifs exquisitely woven into
the Guatemalan and Mexican trajes. The diamond shapes permeating
the designs represent the four corners of the earth, and at the heart
of the diamond is often a butterfly, symbol of the sun and center of
the Mayan cosmos. The color red represents the blood of the people.
Brown is the earth itself. The zigzags represent their mountainous land.
Also common are animals such as the monkey, deer, snake, eagle, quetzal bird and jaguar, all of which play important roles in the myths of the
Maya. Toads are the musicians of the rain, and undulating forms like
snakes symbolize the fertile earth. A common motif is the two-headed
bird or eagle, considered one of the ancestors of the Quiche Maya. As
with most cultures, each village or tribe distinguishes itself with its own
color, pattern, or combination of symbols.
Students began by discovering
the art and life of Frida Kahlo and
Diego Rivera, learning how both
painted to communicate their ideas
about themselves and their homeland. They studied self-portraiture,
including proportion, organic and
geometric shapes, line, and texture,
with an emphasis on observational
skills.
It is important that students look
at the “big picture” first, adding the
details later. They incorporated the
background of the portrait as a study
in style and use of subject matter
of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera,
while focusing on composition and
unity. As they studied the textiles
of this region, they incorporated
traditional Mayan textile motifs,
with an emphasis on color mixing,
color relationships, pattern, repeti-
tion, and balance. The symbolism
behind every color and pattern was
discussed and utilized, so that the
content remained as important as
the form.
While this particular project was
completed using permanent black
markers, watercolors, concentrated
watercolor inks, and, at times, even
patches of color copies of regional
textiles, I also undertook another
mixed-media approach to the same
project, utilizing acrylic paint on
stretched burlap, with embroidered
yarn for patterning and oil pastels
for accents. Students shut out their
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