Taller Los Tepalcates –; Earthling; life through earth
“Earthling; Life through Earth,” is the first solo gallery exhibition of the work by Laura Enriquez Chavéz and Asuncion Enriquez Chavéz curated by Elise Durbecq. The exhibition will showcase work that combines traditional craft techniques, the legacy of communal ceramics workshops in Oaxaca, and an exploration of surreal animism. The artists transcend function in exuberantly expressive and exquisitely detailed work.
The workshop collaborated with Durbecq for this exhibition to develop a broader range of domestic objects in the distinctive Los Tepalcates style. Durbecq, a Mexico-based designer, has led the conversation on collaboration with artisans for over 15 years. She notes that the works in this exhibition are imbued with a sense of humor that allows the pieces to be “not serious, though technically serious,” breaking from the communal vernacular of Atzompa.
This compelling new body of work encompasses lamps, tables, large vessels, and tableware, showcasing the artists’ skill and experience in making traditional cookware. In her essay on this work, Su Wu wrote, “rendered masterfully with simple tools, from corn cobs to stones, the pieces suggest glimpses of a larger consciousness in folklore and encounter and the genuine immediacy of the animals who give each piece form.
The work of Laura and Asuncion will be accompanied in the installation by a suite of small oil paintings by Nanashy Mauro (Oaxaca, 2001), whose work similarly deploys humor in the suggestion of animals in the built environment and the absurdity of the natural habitat of convenience stores and yoga studios. The ceramics and oil paintings will all be based on animals of the American continents, grouped into four families: reptiles; ground animals such as deer, jabalí, coyote, and armadillos; birds, including parrots, toucans, and chicken; and sea animals.
Taller Los Tepalcates, founded by sisters Laura Enriquez Chávez and Asunción Enriquez Chávez, takes its name from the broken fragments, or “tepalcates,” that chip off from larger clay pots during the firing process.
The Enriquez Chávez sisters began working in this craft decades ago in their hometown of Atzompa, Oaxaca, as part of a family and community heritage. Before and during the firing process in the adobe kiln installed in their courtyard, the sisters cover their creations with broken fragments—called tepalcates—to add a distinctive dimension to their work. Through these technical gestures and a vibrant, unique visual language, Laura and Asunción Enriquez Chávez elevate the vernacular community language of Atzompa.
Their craft produces not only utilitarian objects but also pieces that celebrate life and the diversity of the animal species that inspire and surround them, always connected to a magical, surreal world inhabited by fantastical creatures like crocodiles, roosters, dolphins, and coyotes.
The town of Santa María Atzompa, Oaxaca, has a ceramic legacy dating back to the ancient inhabitants of the pre-Columbian city of Monte Albán. This legacy reflects a unique symbiosis of cultural heritage, craftsmanship, and the environment. Atzompa ceramics are renowned for numerous innovations developed during the colonial period, such as the adobe kiln and glazing techniques, which are still practiced today. Despite the challenges posed by modern materials like plastic, the potters of Atzompa have remained faithful to their centuries-old practices, preserving the integrity of traditional techniques.
