eNewMexican

More intimate market delivers

164 folk artists, Mexican masters

By Stephanie Nakhleh

This is a story of resilience.

For the third year, the International Folk Art Market has managed to safely continue in spite of a global pandemic. But this success hasn’t happened by chance: it’s the result of planning and hard work.

“That we were able to have a 2021 market is something of a miracle,” said Melissa Mann, new chief executive officer of the International Folk Art Market. “How do you deal with this health crisis when our major event is an in-person gathering with people from all around the world? How do artists, who rely on those types of markets or the tourist trade, survive in the midst of that? That’s why coming together last summer, and then coming again together this July, is so important. It reinforces the fact that everybody did, in the end, figure out a way to pivot and be creative. We’re all learning to work with lean resources and still hopefully create something really beautiful and special.”

Special this year: The market is honoring Cándida Fernández de Calderón, director of Fomento Cultural Citibanamex, A.C, as its 2022 honorary chair. “Her extraordinary vision, passion for the peoples and art of Mexico and tireless advocacy on their behalf is an inspiration,” Mann said. “It is our pleasure to welcome all the Mexican artists participating this year, including the 28 Citibanamex-designated Mexican Great Masters.”

Adrienne Murray, director of marketing and communication for IFAM, describes the 2022 market as a fusion between the markets of 2019 and 2021. “It’s going to be a little smaller than the huge markets of 21,000 people. We’re expecting around 16,000 people this year,” she said. In comparison, the 2021 market only had about 9,000 guests. But there was an upside to that smaller footprint: “We’re trying to maintain that more intimate feel so guests have more one-on-one time with the artists, which is what they described as being so special about 2021.”

Inside

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2022-06-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-06-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://enewmexican.pressreader.com/article/284116390000688

Santa Fe New Mexican