Master Craftsman and Cultural Promoter Joaquín Alberto Vásquez Sánchez, originally from the Heroic City of Santa María Asunción Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca, Mexico, has dedicated his life to preserving and spreading the folk art of his region. His career began at a very young age when he started dyeing wool and creating quilts, sarapes, rugs, and cotton fabrics. Using natural raw materials, he creates landscapes and pre-Hispanic symbols with a unique polychromy.
Later, continuing with the family heritage, he delved into crafting religious figures and milagros, as well as the famous "lead soldiers" (now made of antimony). These figures, made using ancestral techniques with stone molds, come in various sizes, colors, and shapes: flat, semi-flat, and three-dimensional, depicting cavalry and infantry. They represent characters from Mexican history, pre-Hispanic eras, ethnic groups, animals, musical instruments, and miniature toys. Each piece is unique and has a life of its own.
Over time, he evolved from solitary figures to dynamic stage sets with models, earning significant national and international recognition. However, the greatest reward is the public's appreciation of his work, which he always tends to with meticulous attention to detail. As a folk artist, he has received numerous honors. He has been an ambassador for Oaxacan culture, grateful for the recognition of his work, exhibited in free and open spaces, as well as in museums, galleries, government offices, cultural centers, and private collections. "I will always be thankful for the cultural value given to my pieces and in that way pay tribute to my origins," he states.
In 2005, he created 150 pieces representing ethnic groups from the Mexican Republic, which are permanently displayed at the Museo del Campo at the Universidad de Chapingo, Texcoco, State of Mexico. These works, with their typical attire, highlight every detail that distinguishes them from one another.
His collections have been purchased for display in museums in France, Brazil, Cuba, and other Latin American cities. He has also donated numerous pieces of his work to museums in Mexico, such as the Museo de Arte Popular María Teresa Pomar at the University of Colima, to which he donated around 500 pieces and 20 stone molds, ensuring that the tradition and process are preserved and shared with future generations.
He has been honored with significant national awards and recognitions, including:
National Youth Award in the category of Arts and Popular Traditions (1987).
Recognitions from the National Commission of Free Textbooks for illustrating pages in textbooks for 1st, 4th, and 5th grades with several of his pieces.
Participation in the book "Grand Masters of Oaxacan Folk Art," organized by the government of the state of Oaxaca, Harp Helú Foundation, Banamex Cultural Foundation, and Conaculta (2011).
His dedication to folk art not only aims to preserve traditions but also to celebrate and share them with the world, ensuring that future generations continue to appreciate and value the rich cultural heritage of Oaxaca.
"Melting the metal and bringing my pieces to life through a wide range of colors transports me to everyday life, to the landscapes, colors, smells, and flavors of my Mexico."
Joaquín Alberto Vásquez Sánchez
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