Includes bibliographical references (pages 337-349). Translation: Consuelo Guayara (2003 edition), Nallely Cruz y Jorge Hernández-Díaz (chapter 12). Translation includes additional chapter not included in the original English publication.
Contents:
Ventas en los Estados Unidos de América -- Talla en madera oaxacueñ en el siglo XXI. Tallado de madera contemporáneo -- Communidades talladoras de madera-- Estrategias económicas -- El oficio de las tallas de madera -- Mercados globales y organización del trabajo local -- Especializaciones -- Claves del éxito de los artisanos -- Periodismo, estilos artísticos y éxito economico -- Ventas en Oaxaca -- Ventas en los Estados Unidos de América -- Talla en madera oaxacueñ en el siglo XXI.
Summary:
"Since the Mid-1980s, whimsical, brightly colored wood carvings from the Mexican state of Oaxaca have found their way into gift shops and private homes across the United States and Europe, as Western consumers seek to connect with the authenticity and tradition represented by indigenous folk arts. Ironically, however, the Oaxacan wood carvings are not a traditional folk art. Invented in the mid-twentieth century by non-Indian Mexican artisans for the tourist market, their appeal flows as much from intercultural miscommunication as from their intrinsic artistic merit. In this beautifully illustrated book, Michael Chibnik offers the first in-depth look at the international trade in Oaxacan wood carvings, including their history, production, marketing, and cultural representations. Drawing on interviews he conducted in the carving communities and among wholesalers, retailers, and consumers, he follows the entire production and consumption cycle, from the harvesting of copal wood to the final purchase of the finished piece. Along the way, he describes how and why this 'invented tradition' has been promoted as a "Zapotec Indian" craft and explores its similarities with other local crafts with longer histories. He also fully discusses the effects on local communities of participating in the global market, concluding that the trade in Oaxacan wood carvings is an almost paradigmatic case study of globalization"--Original publisher's website.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.