Embody it: Collaborative Opportunities for Oaxacan Local Artists

The thriving art economy in Oaxaca often highlights well-established Oaxacan and international artists, but local emerging artists frequently struggle to find spaces to exhibit their work and build a name for themselves. As a response to this, we embarked on a mission to create opportunities for upcoming artists.

Affordable Artist Spaces in Oaxaca

As if it were already planned, I ended up renting the room that Thorvald was offering. Maybe because it was affordable, or maybe because I saw potential beyond the spiderwebs and cockroaches on the walls. After all, I was still looking for a place to test my creative skills and grow within Oaxaca’s dynamic art scene.

The building itself had a "Scooby-Doo"-style aesthetic, with old furniture, dusty surfaces, and a haunting charm that felt perfect for the underground art culture we wanted to bring to light. Thorvald, the General Producer of ThorsMusic, invited me to join him in the re-opening of this venue, an opportunity I embraced to contribute to the Oaxaca art community.

-- I was excited to live in a small room inside an old concert hall—it was basically my teenage punk-rock dream come true. —

CCUHERPO: A Cultural Venue Revived Post-Pandemic

From the Spanish: “CUERPO” which means: “Body”

CCUHERPO: “Centro Cultural Heriberto Pazos Ortiz” (Heriberto Pazos Ortiz Cultural Center)

Heriberto Pazos Ortiz: Oaxaca’s local political hero and a man whose story deserves a book itself. (Also Thorvald’s Dad)

CCUHERPO, a once-thriving cultural venue, was completely shut down during the pandemic and remained closed until sporadic events began in September 2022. With no budget to hire staff or keep the venue open daily, we relied on weekend events to generate awareness and income, covering the operational expenses of the building.

In November 2022, we devised a funding strategy to keep the building open on Sundays, offering food sales to attract locals. We played records to create ambiance and invited friends to host a photo exhibit. However, as we engaged with the community, we discovered an unmet need: emerging artists in Oaxaca lacked spaces to showcase their work. The city’s focus on Oaxacan art galleries left many local talents without opportunities to exhibit.

-- The friends I made during those first months in Oaxaca all had something in common: we all felt a bit like outsiders trying to show the world what we could contribute to the local art scene. --

First event I participated in CCUHERPO. Los Cogelones from CD. Nesa

Creating a Platform for Local Emerging Artists

In early 2023, I collaborated with Atzimba Aketzali and El arte del Cuervo, two young independent visual artists, to propose a new concept for CCUHERPO. Together, we developed a two-day event where artists could sell their work, offer short conferences, and participate in workshops to expand their techniques. The concept aligned perfectly with the goals of the Oaxaca art community, and the venue’s owner immediately supported the idea.

We spent a month and a half restoring the building, during which time word spread about the event. We soon received collaboration proposals from a film club interested in hosting projections and an organization willing to donate equipment for the art exhibitions. As the building’s aesthetics improved, it became clear that we were on the right track. The strong response from the artistic community during the first event prompted us to repeat it throughout the year.

Mexican artist Mariana Vega live painting during the 3rd Encuentro Integral de Arte

Growth and Collaboration: The Evolution of the Encuentro Integral de Arte

By the second event, a mural was donated by one of the artists. By the third event, we had participants from three different Mexican states, as well as from Colombia, Chile, and the United States. The cultural offerings expanded to include a book sale in collaboration with local bookstores and publishing houses, alongside conferences covering topics such as independent art selling and the philosophy of artistic creation.

Workshops covered a variety of artistic techniques, including watercolor, wood engraving, botanical printing, and drawing, all accompanied by live music and DJ sets (in vinyl of course). Networking between artists opened new doors for collaboration, helping the local creative community grow and thrive.

Flyer for "Los Prendidos" at the 3rd emission of Encuentro Integral de Arte.

Public Relations and Management Skills in the Art World

-- Plot twist: This was originally written as an application for a scholarship at the Paris School of Business. I ended up receiving a €500 discount on my annual tuition, which shows you never know whom you're working for… —

The Encuentro Integral de Arte provided a unique opportunity to learn the value of collaboration and the importance of always giving your best, regardless of the circumstances.

I remember the second day of the second emission of the encounter; for a long period of time it was just us waiting to see if someone would come. I was sitting down in a chair next to my friend Manu (he makes kombucha), I think it was he who commented something about hoping we could attract more audience, Thorvald used to make comments like that at the end of all the different events we had, commonly making it sound like if the success of our work was measured only by the number of visitors we can get, but then I saw something and decided to tell Manu about it -- You see that? -- I asked -- I think that is what we are actually doing, you know. It was almost 3 pm, the doors of the event had been open for about 4 hours and there were only us sitting in small groups around CCUHERPO's main hall, right in front of Manu and me, Atzimba and Omar were having a conversation with Brenda, who will be back in Chile soon after that event. Them three were all born in different cities and had very different conceptions of what art meant for each one, If it had not been for this event they would not have met. Today it is really clear to me, but back then, I was just realizing that the core importance of what were doing was not in the size of the audience or the amount of sales that we could make, but in the fact of getting to know each other and realizing non of us were alone in its journey.

These events allowed me to understand the intricate connections within the creative process and how each element contributes to something larger than individual efforts.

It was through organizing these events that I decided to pursue an MSc in Arts and Cultural Management to further develop my skills and better serve the global artistic community.

TAGOR D'JU.

CCUHERPO: https://www.facebook.com/ccuherpo

Buy my book: https://www.flamaediciones.com/libros

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MAAV.?sub_confirmation=1