Mexican folk art

When regional and making details are specified separately, a documented visual context can be added to an image.

Visual traits

• regionally varied making contexts
• media and uses requiring individual verification

Expected changes

• when verified regional and making information is added
• the image is more likely to read within that documented scope

Definition

Mexican folk art is a broad expression for discovering and describing works connected with local communities, places of making, media, makers, and uses. A national name alone does not determine one tradition, technique, design, or making community.

In more detail

It concerns visual traditions transmitted through regions and communities, without treating one craft, maker, or design as representative of all Mexico. Specify place, community, medium, date, and conditions of use separately from item-specific documentation.

Includes

• broad discovery and description of visual traditions transmitted through regions and communities

Excludes

• assigning a particular craft
• community
• maker
• design
• or religious meaning from a national name alone
• generic folk-style decoration

What this does not imply

• a single style representing all Mexico
• a particular community maker or design
• religious meaning
• or permission to use a work or design

Variability

Adjust region, community, medium, maker, date, and use separately from item-specific documentation.

Usage

• Do not add one folk style or design from the national name alone; specify region
• community
• and medium individually

Distinguish similar expressions

• Specify a particular work
• maker
• community name
• religious meaning
• or use condition separately only when documented

Typical uses

• compose people animals unoccupied spaces or landscapes only within separately verified regional community and medium details

Possible failure modes

• blending a regional craft or design into a supposed national norm
• generalizing through ethnic stereotypes
• reusing a work image or design without checking its conditions of use