While my book is not exclusively about music, it has just been reviewed on World Music Report, a website dedicated to music around the world. It makes perfect sense given that I was surrounded by music and dance the first time I ventured into the Huasteca region.
"All this of course stems from his wonderful sense of adventure and the detail of a Boswellian diarist. Add to that the depth of his research and you have a formidable authority on the Veracruz region of Mexico, at any rate. I would never be able to think of La Huasteca in Northern Veracruz in the same way as I do after reading this exquisite little book. It fills you with desire – the desire to pack a bag and head for La Huasteca but first it makes you delightfully mad with the beauty of the culture of the place." Raul da Gama - World Music Report Link to Book Review Here is a detail of a second stencil I'm creating for the the Día de los Muertos celebration in Toronto. A few different gouges help to cut out the repeated circle and triangle shapes.
September 29th marks the beginning of Xantolo in the Huasteca. On this day, household altars are installed inviting the departed to return once again for their celebration. From this moment all kinds of activities are initiated in preparation for the main days of remembrance and sharing with the deceased. Better known as The Day of the Dead. The name is misleading because in the Huasteca the complex array of activities spans over about two months. In keeping with the tradition we assembled the first ofrenda in Jesús Mora's studio where all the planning has been taking place for upcoming Day of the Dead celebration on October 31 here in Toronto. Because Tlacuatzin, our special musical guests this year, will be coming all the way from the Huasteca to share Xantolo with us we decided to open the portals here as well with an offering and best wishes for safe travels.
El 29 de septiembre representa el inicio de Xantolo en la Huasteca. Ese día, altares domésticos se instalan para invitar los muertos a que regresen una vez más a su celebración. De este momento todo tipo de actividades se inician en preparación para los días principales de remembranza y compartir con los fallecidos. Mejor conocido como El Día de los Muertos, el nombre no es del todo preciso porque en la Huasteca la gama de actividades abarca unos dos meses. De acuerdo a la tradición montamos la primera ofrenda en el estudio de Jesús Mora donde se ha estado planeando la próxima celebración de Día de loso Muertos que se llevará a cabo el 31 de octubre aquí en Toronto. Como Tlacuatzin, nuestros invitados musicales este año, van a venir desde la Huasteca para compartir Xantolo con nosotros decidimos abrir los portales aquí también con una ofrenda y mejores desesos para un buen viaje. T shirts of my Calavera Enredadera paper cut are now available. The funds raised from the sale of these shirts will go towards the expenses of bringing son huasteco trio to Toronto from Mexico to perform at the Day of the Dead Celebration on October 31st and my book launch on November 2.
Contact dempsteralec@gmail.com to order yours. $20 (Can) plus shipping. Available in small/medium/large/womens small/womens medium - black/grey/navy Tlacuatzin is a son huasteco trio from Mexico and I had the good fortune of studying with all three musicians last year. Yuyu I have known since she was a girl, still living in her hometown and back then in Tepetzintla she was already playing son huasteco with another two local girls. Eloy was starting to develop his astounding approach to the jarana huasteca, a small five stringed guitar-like instrument, when we met in Xalapa about 10 years ago. Manolo became a dear friend last November when I was a guest in his house during the Day of the Dead celebrations in El Higo, Veracruz. In just over a month Toronto will be treated to 2 weeks of their music in a variety of venues and contexts. It is fortuitous that they will performing on November 2nd at the launch of Lotería Huasteca, my book about the region they also celebrate with their music. More information here about the launch.
This stencil will be reproduced on different colours of thin plastic rectangles cut out to resemble papel picado. I started this piece last week at a collective workshop organized to create the decor for the upcoming Day of the Dead celebrations at Artscape Wychwood Barns in Toronto. We still have a couple of weeks and other artists are contributing so more images may appear on this blog during the next few days.
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Alec DempsterImages, words and music. Archives
October 2017
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