WHAT DOES MEXICAN MEAN?
What Is Truly Mexican?
Exploring the roots of Mexican identity through art, history, and tradition
I first heard this question posed by Tlaquepaque historian Juan Padilla López during an awards ceremony at EXPO ENART.
Juan comes from a long line of potters and is the brother of renowned artists Rodo and Paco Padilla. He was born in El Refugio—back when it still functioned as a hospital.
Yes, in the same beautiful Porfirian building that now houses the National Folk Art Exhibition (ENART) and the National Ceramics Award Museum.
(In the photo: one of its many patios.)
If president Porfirio Díaz led the celebrations for the Centennial of the Grito de Dolores—the “Cry” that sparked Mexico’s War of Independence—then president Álvaro Obregón presided over the centennial of the consummation of independence, celebrated in September 1921.
For that historic moment, Guadalajara-born painter Gerardo Murillo, better known as Dr. Atl, was entrusted with answering a profound question:
What does "Mexican" mean?
His answer came through a book:
Folk Arts in Mexico, a bibliographic gem published as part of the Mexican Folk Art Exhibition held in Mexico City and Los Angeles in 1921.
As an artist, Dr. Atl believed that art held the key to understanding Mexican identity. He proposed that Mexican art is built upon three great foundations:
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The Pre-Hispanic
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The Colonial
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Folk Art
And his conclusion?
It is Folk Art, without a doubt, that is the most authentically Mexican of the three.
That Centennial Folk Art Exhibition was, in fact, the first official public event in Mexico dedicated to honoring and recognizing the value of popular arts. It marked a starting point for their preservation, evolution, and reappreciation.
A final note:
In his 1921 writings, Dr. Atl lamented that goldsmithing was in decline and in danger of disappearing…
Fortunately, history had other plans. Today, we continue to work with precious metals, honoring this centuries-old tradition—reviving, updating, and refining it to world-class standards.
In future blog posts, we’ll explore more about the colonial silver boom, and the crisis in silver production and craftsmanship during the fight for independence.
Related links:
https://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx/artes-populares-mexico-dr-atl-gerardo-murillo.html
https://www.tlaquepaque.gob.mx/tlaquepaque/desglose_post?id=1647
Written by julio Michel Barboza
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