Temalacatzingo Lacquer Gourd Annual Town Competition

Temalacatzingo Lacquer Gourd Annual Town Competition

by Margarito de los Santos

Lacquer

Ht. 14.5″ x W. 12″ x D. 12″

The spectacular lacquer gourds from Temalacatzingo, Guerrero, have been called the “Faberge Eggs of Mexico,” so richly and intricately decorated are they. The finest ones are produced each year for the town competition where Mayer Shacter is usually the only person buying work. As a result, Galeria Atotonilco has by far the largest and finest collection of these spectacular, rare gourds. You won’t find them anywhere else. The isolated mountain indigenous village of Temalacatzingo has been producing lacquer work for thousands of years, originally for practical or religious use, but now as works of art. The artists apply many layers of chia oil and mineral powders, which they grind themselves and impregnate with naturally derived dyes. They burnish each layer, leaving the work with a rich depth of color and luscious soft sheen.