Crafting Tradition: Oaxacan Wood Carvings

The wood carvings from the Mexican state of Oaxaca in this exhibition are part of a growing worldwide trade in ethnic and tourist arts. Oaxacan wood carvings show how this international market can result in new artistic forms that straddle the border between popular craft and art. These brightly painted, whimsical creations are visually appealing to both art connoisseurs and the wider audience that appreciates handmade crafts exemplifying Mexican culture. Although the inspirations for Oaxacan wood carvings are often rooted in the past, the pieces are also influenced by contemporary change in Mexico and the artistic taste of buyers in the United States and Europe.

These sculptures were commissioned by the University of Iowa Museum of Art and are part of the UIMA permanent collection. They are being shared with Sioux City through the Legacies for Iowa, a University of Iowa Museum of Art Collections-Sharing Project. 

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website