Mural Painting, Faculty of Visual Arts and Design, “George Enescu’’ National University of Arts, Iași, Romania
Two great composers—one from Comachuén, Purépecha, and the other Romanian—were brought into dialogue through their music in Iași, Romania. Tata Ismael, represented by @toxicoguerrero, and George Enescu, represented by @fhuaroco, were united in a cross-cultural exchange that connected elements of the Purépecha region with Romanian culture.
The artists extend their gratitude to the “George Enescu” National University of Arts, especially to Ioana Palamar, Assistant Adjunct Professor, and to La Coyotera Taller–Estudio, for serving as the institutional and cultural link.
The residency began with a presentation on the Cherani collective, at “Nicolae Gane” Museum from Iași, addressed to students and faculty members of the university and concluded with a workshop and the exhibition of the balloon. In addition, new works were created for a future exhibition scheduled for 2025
“Nicolae Gane” Museum, Iași, Romania
Workshop
The three invited Mexican artists, Francisco Huaroco, Giovanni Guerrero & Josue Alonso, created together with the students from Painting Specialisation, a workshop inspired by the Cantoya balloons.
Mexico is a country full of traditions. Due to the cultural diversity that characterizes us, communities have different and attractive ways of celebrating the most representative festivities. One tradition is the Cantoya balloons. The name comes from Joaquín de la Cantoya y Rico, a Mexican aerostatics enthusiast who, during the second half of the 19th century, developed and built a balloon nearly 10 meters tall. His fame was such that he was requested at almost every religious celebration in the region to launch his creations.
Nowadays, this tradition holds deep meanings for various towns in Mexico. In the case of the Purépecha people of Michoacán, and particularly in Cherán, it is an activity that reinforces social bonds within the community and encourages playful activities for children and young people. In other towns located in the Milpa Alta delegation of Mexico City, this practice is performed to guide souls to their resting place. The balloon allows souls to rise to the heavens and is a unique custom during the Day of the Dead.
They are luminous balloons that will astonish with their design, large size, and bright colors. They are generally made of tissue paper, also known as Chinese paper, and they rise thanks to the hot air that spreads inside them. Their design is usually based on geometry (stars, multiplying stars, multiplying peaks) and they are also made with “molded” shapes or various figures (animals, traditional dolls, and more…)
The artists of Cherán have been creating balloons since we were children. Now we wish to carry this tradition into the realm of art, where we can experience the connection between object and artist through direct touch during the performance. Conceptually, this represents the bond with the outer space, experiencing different atmospheres of nature (forests, lakes, hills) or simply in places where a natural connection is felt.
