Museo Universitario de Artes Populares María Teresa Pomar
Encyclopedia
Museo Universitario de Artes Populares María Teresa Pomar is a museum dedicated to Mexico’s handcrafts and folk art tradition, called “artesanía.”
It is part of the University of Colima in the city of Colima
, founded by artesanía collector and promoter María Terea Pomar. It contains one of the most important collections of its type in Mexico
, covering both traditions from various parts of the country as well as the artesanía and traditions of the state of Colima
.
The institution hosts an important permanent collection of Mexican handcrafts and folk art, called artesanía, with the major branches of this tradition from all regions of the country represented. Notable artisans with works on display here include Guillermo Ríos, Emilio Pinto, Pancho Muñoz and the Terríquez and Morfín families. The museum also promotes the artesanía and regional traditions of the state of Colima. The handcrafts of Colima were shaped by Spanish colonialism and by the crafts of other regions of Mexico such as the Talavera pottery
tradition of Puebla
and the barro negro pottery tradition of Oaxaca
. For this reason, a wide variety of handcrafts are produced in the state. The museographers of the institution have included Ma. Teresa Pomar A., Imelda de León, Socorro Sánchez Murguía and José Antonio Enciso Núñez, the current director.
On the upper floor, there are rooms dedicated to temporary exhibitions of works by artisans, many of which are themed in accordance to the time of year. In 2011, the museum sponsored a temporary exhibit dedicated to marionette
s, which have a place in Mexico’s tradition of oral storytelling. Services that the museum offers include a library with books and video related to handcrafts and the traditions of Colima. There are also educational programs, guided tours and a workshop to make bruñido pottery. There is also a gift shop. The museum has sponsored events to promote local artisans, and works with the university providing cultural activities in which students can participate for credit. This includes participating in workshops such as those for producing ceramics, given by Guillermo Ríos.
in Mexico City
. In 2006, she received the Premio Estatal de Artes Diego Rivera (Diego Rivera State Arts Prize) from the state of Colima. Pomar died at the age of 90 in Mexico City in January 2010.
and other weaving, leather-working, paper crafts, ceramics, metalworking, traditional toys and jewelry making. There are spaces dedicated to folk paintings, especially those related to the various indigenous groups of Mexico.
The Sala Colima room contains costumes used for the various dances and processions that are practiced in the state with masks, musical instruments and more. It includes a representation of a traditional wedding from the north of the state. Another feature are “mojigangos” which are used during charreada
and bullfight events in Villa de Álvarez
.
The Sala de la Laca, or lacquer ware room, is dedicated to wood and other items which have been painted with lacquer to protect them from the area’s humidity. Items on display include furniture, chests, gourds and other containers for food and other objects. These items are part of a craft tradition which extends from Michoacán
and Guerrero
into Colima, Oaxaca and Chiapas
. The room also contains some non lacquered wood items, demonstrating the word working traditions of the Seris
, Tarahumara
s and Nahuas .
The Textile Room features shawls called rebozo
s, especially those from Santa Maria del Río
in San Luis Potosí
, made on backstrap and European pedal looms. Many of these are colored with natural dyes and elaborately embroidered. The Sala de Fibras Vegetales (Vegetable Fiber Room) focuses on basketry, and other objects such as mats and hats. The materials used vary greatly from stiff branches to soft reeds.
Leatherworking, amate paper, folk art and more are displayed together in the largest room of the buildings. It contains huarache sandals, belts, bags, amate paper cut outs used for ceremonial purposes from San Pablito Pahuatla, Puebla. Ceramics traditions from San Bartolo Coyotepec
, Metepec
, Tonalá
, Tlaxcala
, Veracruz
, Guanajuato
, Michoacán
and other places are represented. Traditional toys and festival items are represented by Judas figures
from the State of Mexico, dolls and various miniature items made from wood and clay. Metal working is mostly represented by articles from Oaxaca such as lead soldier figures and traditional tools. There is a display of objects made of seashell and snail shell by Socorro Sanchez.
Mexican handcrafts and folk art
Mexican handcrafts and folk art is a complex collection of items made with various materials and intended for utilitarian, decorative or other purposes. Some of the items produced by hand in this country include ceramics, wall hangings, vases, furniture, textiles and much more...
It is part of the University of Colima in the city of Colima
Colima, Colima
Colima is capital of the state of the same name, a city and municipality located in the center west of Mexico. It is located near the Colima Volcano, which divides the small state from that of Jalisco. Despite being the capital, the city is not the state’s main tourist attraction, eclipsed by...
, founded by artesanía collector and promoter María Terea Pomar. It contains one of the most important collections of its type in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, covering both traditions from various parts of the country as well as the artesanía and traditions of the state of Colima
Colima
Colima is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It shares its name with its capital and main city, Colima....
.
Institution
The museum is part of the University of Colima, located north of the historic center of the city of Colima. It is part of a complex called the IUBA, which also houses the Pablo Silva Garía forum and the Explanada del Artesano (Artisan Explanade) on the corner of Gabino Barreda and Manuel Gallardo Zamora streets in the La Atrevida neighborhood. The building was designed by architect Joaquín Vázquez Agraz and modeled after the traditional houses of the city. It is two stories, centered on an open courtyard which is surrounded by corridors supported by arches behind which are various rooms. The museum's collection is housed in these rooms and corridors, with the courtyard area filled with chairs and tables for visitors.The institution hosts an important permanent collection of Mexican handcrafts and folk art, called artesanía, with the major branches of this tradition from all regions of the country represented. Notable artisans with works on display here include Guillermo Ríos, Emilio Pinto, Pancho Muñoz and the Terríquez and Morfín families. The museum also promotes the artesanía and regional traditions of the state of Colima. The handcrafts of Colima were shaped by Spanish colonialism and by the crafts of other regions of Mexico such as the Talavera pottery
Talavera (pottery)
Talavera pottery of Puebla, Mexico is a type of majolica pottery, which is distinguished by a milky-white glaze. Authentic Talavera pottery only comes from the city of Puebla and the nearby communities of Atlixco, Cholula, and Tecali, because of the quality of the natural clay found there and the...
tradition of Puebla
Puebla
Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....
and the barro negro pottery tradition of Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
. For this reason, a wide variety of handcrafts are produced in the state. The museographers of the institution have included Ma. Teresa Pomar A., Imelda de León, Socorro Sánchez Murguía and José Antonio Enciso Núñez, the current director.
On the upper floor, there are rooms dedicated to temporary exhibitions of works by artisans, many of which are themed in accordance to the time of year. In 2011, the museum sponsored a temporary exhibit dedicated to marionette
Marionette
A marionette is a puppet controlled from above using wires or strings depending on regional variations. A marionette's puppeteer is called a manipulator. Marionettes are operated with the puppeteer hidden or revealed to an audience by using a vertical or horizontal control bar in different forms...
s, which have a place in Mexico’s tradition of oral storytelling. Services that the museum offers include a library with books and video related to handcrafts and the traditions of Colima. There are also educational programs, guided tours and a workshop to make bruñido pottery. There is also a gift shop. The museum has sponsored events to promote local artisans, and works with the university providing cultural activities in which students can participate for credit. This includes participating in workshops such as those for producing ceramics, given by Guillermo Ríos.
Maria Teresa Pomar
The museum has recently added the name of María Teres Pomar to its official title. Pomar founded this museum as part of a long career dedicated to the promotion of Mexican artesanía. She began her career as an artesania collector with pieces from various traditions filling her home. She promoted the viewing of her collection encouraging people to appreciate the traditions behind the objects. She also donated items to various museums in Mexico and even to the Museo de Arte Popular of Sao Paulo, Brazil. She was one of the founders of the Fondo Nacional para el Fomento de las Artesanías as well as POPULART, AC, the organization behind the creation of the Museo de Arte PopularMuseo de Arte Popular, Mexico City
The Museo de Arte Popular is an institution dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Mexican handcrafts and folk art. Located in the historic center of Mexico City in an old fire house, the museum has a collection which includes textiles, pottery, glass, piñatas, alebrijes, furniture and...
in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. In 2006, she received the Premio Estatal de Artes Diego Rivera (Diego Rivera State Arts Prize) from the state of Colima. Pomar died at the age of 90 in Mexico City in January 2010.
Collection
The museum has one of Mexico’s important handicraft and folk art collections. Its collection includes utensils, religious and ceremonial items as well as decorations. All the major branches of Mexican artesanía are represented including woodworking, textilesTextiles of Mexico
Textiles of Mexico have a long history. The making of fibers, cloth and other textile goods has existed in the country since at least 1400 BCE. Fibers used during the pre-Hispanic period included those from the yucca, palm and maguey plants as well as the use of cotton in the hot lowlands of the...
and other weaving, leather-working, paper crafts, ceramics, metalworking, traditional toys and jewelry making. There are spaces dedicated to folk paintings, especially those related to the various indigenous groups of Mexico.
The Sala Colima room contains costumes used for the various dances and processions that are practiced in the state with masks, musical instruments and more. It includes a representation of a traditional wedding from the north of the state. Another feature are “mojigangos” which are used during charreada
Charreada
The charreada or charrería is a competitive event similar to rodeo and was developed from animal husbandry practices used on the haciendas of Old Mexico. The sport has been described as "living history," or as an art form drawn the demands of working life...
and bullfight events in Villa de Álvarez
Villa de Álvarez, Colima
Ciudad de Villa de Álvarez is a city in the Mexican state of Colima. It is the municipal seat of Villa de Álvarez municipality. The city is adjacent to the northwest side of the state capital city of Colima and the two can be considered as "twin cities", with Ciudad de Villa de Álvarez having a...
.
The Sala de la Laca, or lacquer ware room, is dedicated to wood and other items which have been painted with lacquer to protect them from the area’s humidity. Items on display include furniture, chests, gourds and other containers for food and other objects. These items are part of a craft tradition which extends from Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
and Guerrero
Guerrero
Guerrero officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guerrero is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo....
into Colima, Oaxaca and Chiapas
Chiapas
Chiapas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Chiapas is one of the 31 states that, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 118 municipalities and its capital city is Tuxtla Gutierrez. Other important cites in Chiapas include San Cristóbal de las...
. The room also contains some non lacquered wood items, demonstrating the word working traditions of the Seris
Séris
Séris is a commune in the Loir-et-Cher department in central France.-See also:*Communes of the Loir-et-Cher department...
, Tarahumara
Tarahumara
The Rarámuri or Tarahumara are a Native American people of northwestern Mexico who are renowned for their long-distance running ability...
s and Nahuas .
The Textile Room features shawls called rebozo
Rebozo
A rebozo is a woman's garment used in Mexico. Rectangular in shape, rebozos vary in size from 1.5 to upwards of three metres, and can be made of cotton, wool, silk, or articela. They can be worn as scarves or shawls, and women often use them to carry children and take products to the market. It is...
s, especially those from Santa Maria del Río
Santa Maria del Rio, San Luis Potosi
Santa Maria del Rio is one of the 58 municipalities that make up the Mexican state of San Luis Potosi. The municipality is located in the southern part of the state, approximately 48 kilometers east of the city of San Luis Potosi. Santa Maria del Rio has a land area of 1,655 square kilometers, with...
in San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí....
, made on backstrap and European pedal looms. Many of these are colored with natural dyes and elaborately embroidered. The Sala de Fibras Vegetales (Vegetable Fiber Room) focuses on basketry, and other objects such as mats and hats. The materials used vary greatly from stiff branches to soft reeds.
Leatherworking, amate paper, folk art and more are displayed together in the largest room of the buildings. It contains huarache sandals, belts, bags, amate paper cut outs used for ceremonial purposes from San Pablito Pahuatla, Puebla. Ceramics traditions from San Bartolo Coyotepec
San Bartolo Coyotepec
San Bartolo Coyotepec is a town and municipality located in the center of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is in the Centro District of the Valles Centrales region about fifteen km south of the capital of Oaxaca....
, Metepec
Metepec
Metepec is a city and municipality in the State of Mexico in Mexico and is located directly to the east of the state capital, Toluca, at an altitude of 2,635 metres above sea level. The centre of Mexico City lies some 50 km further to the east. The name Metepec comes from Náhuatl meaning hill of...
, Tonalá
Tonalá, Jalisco
Tonalá is a city and its surrounding municipality within the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area in the state of Jalisco in Mexico.The city had a 2005 census population of 374,258 and the municipality had a population of 408,729 and an area of 119.58 km² . The municipality lies adjacent to the east...
, Tlaxcala
Tlaxcala
Tlaxcala officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tlaxcala is one of the 31 states which along with the Federal District comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 60 municipalities and its capital city is Tlaxcala....
, Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
, Guanajuato
Guanajuato
Guanajuato officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 46 municipalities and its capital city is Guanajuato....
, Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
and other places are represented. Traditional toys and festival items are represented by Judas figures
Burning of Judas
The burning of Judas is an Easter-time ritual in many Orthodox and Catholic Christian communities, where an effigy of Judas Iscariot is burned. Other related mistreatment of Judas effigies include hanging, flogging, and exploding with fireworks. Anthropologists generalize these type of activities...
from the State of Mexico, dolls and various miniature items made from wood and clay. Metal working is mostly represented by articles from Oaxaca such as lead soldier figures and traditional tools. There is a display of objects made of seashell and snail shell by Socorro Sanchez.