Thursday, November 14, 2024

Zapotec artisans apply some color to Mercedes-Benz SUV

Pre-Columbian tradition met classic German car engineering this week when a Oaxacan artist team revealed their perhaps most unique piece of artwork ever: a Mercedes-Benz G-Class all-terrain vehicle painted with iconography and colors inspired by alebrije art.

Jacobo and María del Carmen Ángeles, artists from San Martín Tilcajete, about 30 kilometers from the capital city of Oaxaca, revealed their latest masterpiece on their Facebook page, as did Mercedes-Benz México.

The company provided the vehicle, documented on social media its trip through Mexico to get to the artists and the work in progress, and showed off the final results to promote the company’s G-class model, one of the granddaddies of all-terrain and sport utility vehicles, first offered for civilian sale in 1979.

Alebrije art is distinctive folk art that originated in both Mexico City and Oaxaca. In the case of the former they are made from papier-mache; alebrijes from Oaxaca are carved from wood.

Jacobo and María have been creating artworks since childhood. Jacobo specializes in wood sculpture, while Maria has always the best in their house at painting the wooden figures.

Mercedes new paint job,Zapotec style.
Mercedes new paint job,Zapotec style.

They are well-known among artisan collectors for their colorful, fanciful works on copal wood.

They recently shared a video on their Facebook page, capturing the days of work they and a team of artisans did to decorate the vehicle. They said they were very pleased with the results.

“It was worth every minute of effort,” they said.

Sources: Excélsior (sp), Expansión (sp)

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
Ontario, Canada Prime Minister Doug Ford standing at a podium with the logo of the Labourers International Union of North America giving a speech. Behind him are two men watching on

Ontario premier suggests Canada end free trade with Mexico

6
Accusing Mexico of helping China skirt heavy Canadian and U.S. tariffs, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling for an end to the USMCA.
A person shops at a local market in Mexico City.

Sheinbaum, business sector agree to lower basic food prices

1
“We want prices to come down for consumers, especially for those who don't have much,” Sheinbaum said Wednesday.
Germán Reyes Reyes, a former army captain who became interim head of the Chilpancingo Public Security Ministry on Sept. 30, was detained by state and federal security forces for the murder of Alejandro Arcos Catalán

Chilpancingo security chief arrested for mayor’s murder

1
The deceased mayor's decapitated body was found inside his pickup truck in the state capital of Chilpancingo, Guerrero, on Oct. 6.