The Global Coronavirus Pandemic has imposed itself onto everybody's life in the last 5 months. All aspects of life have been affected, including our Artist and artisan friends in Mexico.
Many artisans live in small remote villages, many of these villages have closed their roads to outsiders in order to protect the inhabitants from this disease. No matter what, the economic impact of Coronavirus has been devastating. An article in Mexico News Daily by Leigh Thelmadatter stated, "The classic way to sell handcrafts is through street and market vending. While there have been efforts by government and private organizations to take this to the next level, success has been sporadic at best.
Today, artisans face an unprecedented situation, perhaps even catastrophe. “Non-essential businesses” are shut, tourism is dead and street traffic is nil, eliminating venues that artisans rely on. Many rural communities where artisans live have shut down entirely, allowing no one in or out.
Noted handcraft researcher Marta Turok of the Franz Mayer Museum in Mexico City states, “It’s horrible. All who depend on direct sales are suffering beyond belief.” Constantino Martínez Guzmán of the Movimiento Indígenas de Artesanos Originarios de México (indigenous artists movement) states bluntly that “sales have been reduced to zero.” He adds, “We are artisans and we live day-by-day. Our people will not die of the virus, they will die of hunger.”" https://mexiconewsdaily.com/mexicolife/mexicos-artisans-struggle-to-survive-in-a-covid-9-world/
Angelica Morales:
Friends I ask for a prayer for me, my family and friends, as we are now going through this difficult battle once again, because the contingency extends longer than expected.
I'm afraid I have some very personal reasons for this post, I'm sad because people close to family are dying 😥😪.
For all those who have lost someone or are in the battle against covid19, here's a hug for each and every one of you and your loved ones.
Jose Ayala:
April 30
Hello I hope you are well. We are fine, but I'm not in my workshop, I stayed from the beginning at my dad's house, in a different community from where my workshop is. According to information from the municipality, the virus has not arrived in such a way that in a few days we can move within the municipality.
July 27
Well, we continue well until now, the clay that I work I buy in Metepec and now I have little left, I hope that the pandemic will pass soon to be able to get more clay. Meanwhile I am preparing other types of local clay, the same clay that I played as a child, is something magical.
Have you received the latest masks yet?
Pablo Pajarito,
There are no sales here (Tonala) and just after 3 months many businesses are bankrupt.
Fernando Solis Hernandez
Life here in Zinapecuaro has been quiet despite the violence that has attacked our state. Selling our crafts has become much more difficult because tourism no longer flows as before. Because of the new health contingencies, selling is now over the internet although we earn much less because the cost of shipping is much more costly, however maybe for the future we will have more people who know our work when this all ends.