Leaders & Social Justice Artists in Action!
By Dr. Talia Weltman-Cisneros*
Thematic threads of strength, leadership, resilience, beauty, and tradition abound in the artwork of the colleagues who together to form the multigenerational, Afro-Mexican arts collective called the “Centro Cultural Cimarrón”.
As the slogan of their cimarrón, or maroon, namesake suggests, their artwork supports an Afro-Mexican identity that is “learning to be free” through the visibility, pride, and celebration of their heritage and traditions.
Formed in 1995 in El Ciruelo, Oaxaca, the original task of the Centro Cultural Cimarrón was to create summer arts workshops for children across the black towns in the Costa Chica region of Guerrero and Oaxaca. But now, they have transformed their roles as community arts educators into leaders and social justice artists in action.
Their paintings, wooden engravings, masks, and sculptures have inspired multiple generations of Afro-Mexicans to see the strength and colorful beauty of their heritage and traditions that are now celebrated in galleries, museums, cultural centers, and recreational schoolyards throughout Mexico and abroad.
The artists of this collective have included Aydeé Rodríguez López who has intentionally placed women at the center of her paintings, since, for her, they are the cradle of Afro-Mexican life, sustenance, and perseverance. Regal, powerful Afro-Mexican women also take center stage in the artwork by Santa Obdulia “Yuye” Hernández. Other artists include Alberta “Bety” Hernández Nicolás, Elder Ávila, Victor Palacios, Ivaan Piza, Baltasar Castellanos, and Mario Guzmán.
Each has their own unique style, from the pointillist-style palm tree leaf masks by Ivaan Piza, to the bold, blended brushstrokes of Bety Hernández that depict the Afro-Mexican tono/tonal tradition. But, it is their work as a collective that has empowered their creative endeavors.
Exhibition at the Meeting of the Black Towns of Mexico
In 2019, the Annual Meeting of the Black Towns of Mexico was held in Mexico City. The artists from the Centro Cultural Cimarrón exhibited their artwork for the education and enjoyment of all.
Photos by Patricia Ann Talley
*About the Author: Dr. Talia Weltman-Cisneros is a lecturer of Spanish at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Her research focuses on Afro-Mexican cultural production and digital humanities and is dedicated to community-based education and engagement initiatives.