Los Reyes Metzontla: Reflections of a world in pottery pieces
After obtaining the National Prize for Science and Arts of Mexico, the burnished clay vessels of Los Reyes Metzontla placed the community, the artisans and their products in a position of relevance in the field of contemporary Mexican culture and gastronomy.
Los Reyes Metzontla by Jonathan LabastidaCocina Cinco Fuegos
Welcome to Los Reyes Metzontla!
The community of Los Reyes Metzontla is located within the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán biosphere reserve, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2012. Its surroundings are dominated by a dry landscape in which the sun-scorched cactus vegetation stands out.
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Los Reyes Metzontla is located in the municipality of Zapotitlán Salinas, in the state of Puebla. A little more than half of its population is of indigenous origin and almost 40% speak an indigenous language. The production of earthenware of peculiar style has given the town fame and renown for several decades.
Los Reyes Metzontla (2) by Jonathan LabastidaCocina Cinco Fuegos
A site rich in clay
Millions of years ago this region was a sea. Geological processes of change generated other materials, giving rise to a soil rich in clays.<br>With this raw material, the original cultures of the area created earthenware tools with eminent skill and refined charm.
Los Reyes Metzontla (3) by Jonathan LabastidaCocina Cinco Fuegos
The pottery production in Los Reyes Metzontla is made with traditional techniques, learned through centuries of experience and adapted to the material and technical resources of today's life. Earthenware production begins with the collection of clay, which is carried out on the slopes of the nearby hills. This clay is mashed, to remove the organic remains and to pulverize it.
Los Reyes Metzontla (4) by Jonathan LabastidaCocina Cinco Fuegos
Water must be added to the clay and beaten to give it a plastic consistency. With this it can be managed better. This clay paste requires a kneading that allows the air to be expelled and its mineral components to be mixed in a homogeneous manner.
Los Reyes Metzontla (5) by Jonathan LabastidaCocina Cinco Fuegos
To give better consistency a degreaser is added that the potters call peña stone or talc. It is a shale, metamorphic rock formed by microscopic layers. The shine is due to the minerals it contains, which can be mica, talc, chlorite, among others. Then it will rest for two weeks.
Los Reyes Metzontla (6) by Jonathan LabastidaCocina Cinco Fuegos
The potters go to the talc mine, which has provided them with the degreasing material since time immemorial.
The access to the site is a triumphal arch decorated with the same products that demonstrate the creativity of the pottery community.
Los Reyes Metzontla (7) by Jonathan LabastidaCocina Cinco Fuegos
Creating crockery
The use of the lathe during the viceroyalty was added to the techniques of Central American origin. Metzontla ceramists use two types of lathe: the one that you move with the feet and the one with the hand.
It should be noted that they are mainly women, but also other sectors of the population, who create all kinds of clay objects using molding techniques, modeling and a characteristic burnished finish.
Los Reyes Metzontla (8) by Jonathan LabastidaCocina Cinco Fuegos
The foot lathe is also used to make vessels from the rotating movement by applying force with the hands.<br>The hand lathe assists in the task of refining the parts that have been previously made with a mold.
Los Reyes Metzontla (9) by Jonathan LabastidaCocina Cinco Fuegos
The process continues with the jiming, which is to remove excess clay and give regular shape and dimensions to the parts.
Once the general shape is completed, the surface of the crockery is smoothed.
Los Reyes Metzontla (10) by Jonathan LabastidaCocina Cinco Fuegos
The pieces must dry for several days to lose all the moisture from the clay.
Dry and hardened, the clay pieces acquire a light brown color and their smooth texture acquires porosity.
Los Reyes Metzontla (11) by Jonathan LabastidaCocina Cinco Fuegos
The clays in Metzontla are abundant and varied in color. Their tones range from the bay color to dark coffee, depending on the minerals they contain.
With this potters apply a clay bath (or engobe) with water on the entire surface of each piece.
Los Reyes Metzontla (12) by Jonathan LabastidaCocina Cinco Fuegos
Burnishing the clay
When the engobe is still wet, the burnishing process begins. Quartz stones are used for this.
A typical mode of decoration is to leave parts free of engobe, to achieve effects of different color.
Los Reyes Metzontla (13) by Jonathan LabastidaCocina Cinco Fuegos
Total burnishing is achieved by using quartz stones in different shapes and dimensions to reach each corner of the piece.
The hardness and smooth, very fine grain surfaces of the quartzes allow the artisan to draw out a peculiar shine and give a very fine texture.
Los Reyes Metzontla (14) by Jonathan LabastidaCocina Cinco Fuegos
Decorating the pieces
The pieces from Los Reyes have a surface that does not require decoration in itself.
Some pieces are adorned with application of pastillage, sgraffito or fretwork, always preserving their distinctive monochrome.
Los Reyes Metzontla (15) by Jonathan LabastidaCocina Cinco Fuegos
Los Reyes Metzontla and their people
Metzontla has in recent times been a town of migrants. Many of them work in North America.
Even so, women have developed the modern pottery industry and pass on their knowledge and techniques from one generation to another.
Los Reyes Metzontla (16) by Jonathan LabastidaCocina Cinco Fuegos
At present, men are also significantly involved in the production of burnished clay.
The earth has awakened in them the love for the art of ceramics and for the family at the place where their origins lie.
In 2005, the burnished clay of Los Reyes Metzontla won the National Prize of Science and Arts of Mexico. The award is very special, as it was achieved collectively, with the effort and talent of the potters' community.
Since then, the burnished clay crockery of Los Reyes Metzontla has placed the community, the artisans and their products in a position of relevance in the field of contemporary Mexican culture and gastronomy.
Curator:
Arnulfo Allende Carrera
Photographer:
Jonathan Labastida
