Museum of Popular Art of the State of Oaxaca

With hopes to promote to its full potential the under-valued popular art of the multicultural pre-hispanic heritage, came the birth on October 2nd, 2004 of the Museo de Arte Popular del Estado de Oaxaca (Museum of Popular Art of the State of Oaxaca) in San Bartolo Coyotepec, after eight years of planning by the local artists of that community. The history of the pottery and the development of the black clay used is the heritage of the pre-hispanic ancestors in Monte Alban of which 600 families are now carrying out this artistic work well known throughout the world.

Currently the museum has three exhibition spaces. The first exhibits unique pieces of the most outstanding examples of the black clay pottery of the artisans of San Barolo Coyotepec which are archeological pieces that detail the development of this popular art from the beginnings of Monte Alban to present day. “Each piece is a work of art and an example of the quality, design and imagination of the Oaxacan Artisans” says Enrique Audiffred Bustamante, assistant director of the museum which has been designed to promote, disseminate and fortify the cultural heritage between the communities by facilitating the exchange of experience and knowledge of the different techniques. The second space is dedicated to the 92 pieces of the pottery and textiles that have won the Benito Juarez State Pottery Contest put together by Artists and Popular Industries of the State of Oaxaca (ARIPO), with winners from Atzompa, San Marcos Tlapazola, Tamazulapan, Ocatlán and San Antonino showing the diversity within the state of Oaxaca. The third exhibit space is dedicated to those examples of wood sculptures from San Martín Tilcajete whose artists played a significant part in the founding of the museum and who have a history of making the splendid wooden masks. Speaking of which, in the entrance of the museum, you will see two pieces by Manual Jiménez de Arrazola who will be featured in the next exhibit. The museum also functions as a store by temporarily exhibiting small pieces and, in this fashion, the Museo de Arte Popular del Estado de Oaxaca exhibits the artistic creations of nearly 300 artist from distinctive communities around the state of Oaxaca.

In little time, the space that was donated in 1905 by don Manuel Guzmán to the pueblo of San Bartolo Coyotepec, and which was refurbished by architect Carlos Melgoza to house the Museum, will eventually have a cafeteria, stores and a library where it will be possible to acquire all types of artesanías (handicrafts) which benefit the hundreds of families that produce them.