Pre-Columbian Ceramics Instructional Residency Program

Locations: Puebla, Mexico — Cusco, Peru
All Residency Programs + Dates in 2024 & 2025
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Note: This residency program is instructional. For a non-instructional residency program in ceramics, we offer the Mexican Ceramics Residency in Puebla, Mexico.

This comprehensive, customized instructional residency program offers competitive professional opportunities for emerging and mid-career, national and international artists age 20 and over.
 
Ceramic art and traditions in Mexico date back from at least 13,000 BC, reaching their peak with the most advanced civilizations in Mesoamerica. From the Olmec civilization in the Pre-Classic Era, to the Classic period with the Mayas in the Yucatán Peninsula, the Zapotecs in the valley of Oaxaca and Teotihuacán in the central valleys of Mexico, to the Postclassic Period with the Cholultecas in Puebla, and Aztecs in the Central valley in Mexico, ceramics were considered one of the highest and most regarded forms of arts. The European invasion and conquest of the Americas severely affected the styles, decoration, forms, and techniques of native traditions; however, some pottery forms have survived intact until this day, including comals, molcajetes (grinders), some basic cooking bowls and utensils, as well as censers. While some traditional pre-Hispanic style ware was still produced in the early colonial period in Mexico, its quality and aesthetics declined dramatically. The importation of European and Asian artifacts also influenced the ceramic styles in decoration and techniques, contributing to the flourish of new complex traditions such as Talavera (majolica) in Puebla.

Most of the techniques of pre-Hispanic wares are not glazed but rather burnished and painted with colored fine clay slips, incorporating color by adding mineral pigments, which could be applied before and/or after firing. Building techniques include molding by pressing the clay against pre-existing shapes or molds, and sometime using slip casting with relief decorations such as the ones in Puebla and Tlaxcala. There are many known methods of decoration used in pre-columbian pottery including pressing designs into the clay with textiles, using stamps, pressing shells and sharp tools, etc. Local clay bodies continue to be used for traditional ceramic in Mexico with no additives, which makes the ceramic arts diverse, rich, and complex in traditions, styles, techniques, and qualities.

The Pre-Columbian Ceramics Instructional Residency acknowledges the rich history of ceramics in Mexico by incorporating the knowledge of local building techniques, materials, and styles. This mentored 5-week program includes master instruction/guidance (36 hours total, spaced over the 5 weeks) to learn the stylistic possibilities of the pre-Columbian ceramic traditions of Mexico. The program comprises hands-on instruction with diverse clay bodies from the region of Puebla and Tlaxcala, or Cusco. Instruction is focused on learning and experimentation with traditional techniques including burnishing, clay slips, pressing techniques, and traditional carvings. This residency is a comprehensive program to learn about the pre-Hispanic ceramic traditions of Mexico or Peru, focusing with a material experimentation, and including resources for a better understanding of the history and cultural context of ceramics in the region. In Puebla, instruction is in Spanish or English. In Cusco, instruction is in Spanish, though resident artists need not speak Spanish in order to successfully complete the course. Individual mentoring is provided by our directorial and curatorial staff for personalized research assistance/resources, project guidance, and critique; participants of this program also work independently in our spaces.

Arquetopia Pre Columbian Ceramics Residency Puebla 2023 2024
 RESIDENCY DURATION / TIME PERIOD  
Sessions of 5 weeks, with option to extend for 1 more week of continued production as a standard Ceramics Residency. Dates are not predetermined but are proposed by the applying artist.

 WHAT THIS COMPREHENSIVE INSTRUCTIONAL RESIDENCY PROGRAM INCLUDES
Technique Instruction:
  • 36 hours master instruction/guidance spaced over the 5 weeks
Staff Support:
  • Each resident artist meets weekly with our directorial and curatorial staff for personalized mentoring, research assistance/resources, project guidance, and critique
Accommodation (Puebla):
  • Furnished, private bedroom
  • 24-hour access to the kitchen for residents to prepare their own meals; residents are responsible for their own meals/food
  • Wireless Internet
  • Use of Arquetopia’s residency common spaces including outdoor terraces
  • Shared, serviced (single) bathrooms with modern fixtures and showers
  • Housekeeping
Studio Workspace (Puebla):
  • 24-hour access to large and bright, shared art studio with generous natural light
  • Personal workspace with large table and wall space
  • Some tools provided
  • Materials and supplies for the instructional course provided (15 kg / 33 lb of clay)
  • Materials and supplies for additional project production not included but available for purchase locally
  • Access to special facilities (such as our partnered museums and studios) provided
Accommodation and Airport Transportation (Cusco):
  • Furnished, private bedroom
  • 24-hour access to the kitchen for residents to prepare their own meals; residents are responsible for their own meals/food
  • Wireless Internet
  • Use of Arquetopia’s residency common spaces
  • Shared, serviced (single) bathrooms with modern fixtures and showers
  • Housekeeping
  • (Cusco only) Arrival pickup and departure dropoff transportation provided at Cusco Airport
Studio Workspace (Cusco):
  • 24-hour access to shared art studio with natural light
  • Personal workspace with large table
  • Some tools provided
  • Materials and supplies for the instructional course provided (10 kg / 22 lb of clay)
  • Materials and supplies for extended project production not included but available for purchase locally
  • Access to special facilities (such as our partnered museums and studios) provided

RESIDENCY PROGRAM TUITION INFO & APPLICATION DEADLINES
E-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for program tuition info and application deadlines for this program.

TO APPLY
Click here to apply for this instructional residency program.

Arquetopia Pre Columbian Ceramics Residency Peru 2023 2024
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