Vase with Jaguars Amatenango, Chiapas
Esperanza Pérez
Ceramics
Ht. 14" x W. 13" x D. 13"
Jaguars used to roam Chiapas in abundance. The small village of Amatenango, Chiapas has a long tradition of creating almost life size jaguars, along with chickens, iguanas, monkeys, and armadillos in clay. The animals have a captivating naïve yet life-like quality, with gesture and eyes that are both amusing and arresting. Artist Esperanza Pérez is a young woman whose work is of the highest quality and who is a delight to meet. She is earnest about preserving traditional Amatenango animals, while some in her town have turned to other crafts.