“Tribute to the Mixtec woman as a water goddess” Royal blue Artwork - Limited Edition of 9

“Tribute to the Mixtec woman as a water goddess” inspired by sheet 27, Codex Fejervary Mayer. Royal blue background. Even after half a century I am still fond of the Mixtec women of the Costa Chica of Oaxaca. Their life far removed from materialistic societies was a true, harmonious integration into nature. On seeing my photos of the women in 2010 a Mexico City lady told me: “They gave you their soul”, while the ethnologist Valeria Vega wrote in her essay on “Ñundeui, al pie del cielo”: “The unfortunate result is a book that stands out for its poverty and lack of updating of its visual and written discourse”. Among other arguments I responded with: “The opportunity to photograph Indian women, who had no idea of Western guidelines of female demeanor and knew nothing about bra’s and make-up was significant and important. I tried to capture their natural beauty and sensuality without ever intervening how they presented themselves to the camera…” Mixtec Indian women still wear the traditional Pozahuanco, a rectangular handwoven blue wrap-around with horizontal red and purple stripes. In the sixties to go topless was considered old fashioned and lacking modesty. When I photographed them, some still went barefoot and topless around their huts, but on errands covered their breasts with the traditional, plain white cotton sheet known as the Sabana. My tribute to the Mixtec woman is inspired by a pre-Columbian pictogram of Chalchiuhtlicue, the goddess of terrestrial waters. To create it I completely reworked the pictogram, adjusted the proportions, added the Sabana, transformed the skirt into a striped Pozahuanco and gave the goddess a human face. The result is an imaginary version of a water goddess in the traditional outfit of the Mixtec women on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca. For open edition inkjet prints please contact mario.mutschlechner@gmail.com.

Mixed Media:Digital on Paper

Artist Produced Limited Edition of:9

Size:19.7 W x 19.7 H x 0.1 D in

Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.