Santa Monica College (SMC) will host renowned California-based Zapotec weaver and textile artist Porfirio Gutierrez in “The Relationship to Climate and Artists Material,” a talk about the importance of natural materials and color in his work. Gutierrez represents an effort to preserve ancestral traditions and remind modern society of the existence of traditional knowledge. The presentation includes an audience Q&A.
The presentation is free, and will be held at 11:15 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12, in Stromberg Hall (HSS 165), located on the main SMC Campus at 1900 Pico Blvd.
Natural materials have long been used to produce colorants. The cochineal insect is among the oldest used in Oaxaca, Mexico, and its color is an important symbolic element associated with gods, the sun, blood, and rituals. For Gutierrez, the colors are sacred, and creating color from nature reflects his deeply spiritual relationship with this divine aspect. His work is a living memory, a map of a moment in history and the climate of the time when the materials were harvested.
The event is sponsored by the SMC Associates (smc.edu/associates) — a private organization that funds speakers and special programs on campus — along with the SMC Global Citizenship Committee, SMC Modern Languages & Cultures Department, and SMC Earth Sciences Department.
More information is available by calling the SMC Office of Public Programs at 310-434-4100.
