“We have a collective production 
atmosphere where each one of us influences the images of the other. 
It’s hard to explain, but there is something that connects us”

The Oaxaca printmakers collective Burro Press presents their first
 exhibition as a group, featuring new works by the collective founders 
Edith Chávez, Alberto Cruz and Iván Bautista. This show reflects the
 collaborative spirit of the collective, bringing together diverse 
ideas and perspectives.
In 2016, Chávez, Cruz and Bautista came together to open a space in
 which they could both produce and exhibit their work collectively.
Since then, Burro Press printmaking studio is located in the Historic
 Downtown of Oaxaca City, where each artist creates individual work
 within a communal context. “We have a collective production 
atmosphere where each one of us influences the images of the other. 
It’s hard to explain, but there is something that connects us”, says
 Cruz.

Bautista elaborates on the daily dynamic at the studio: “We divide 
workdays and tasks, follow a schedule, and are responsible for
opening the workshop, while producing our own art. That’s how our
 community operates. Each one of us has their own time at the studio,
 and sometimes we switch schedules. We adapt ourselves depending on
 our needs”.
Cruz highlights the collective’s prolific output. Their main point of
convergence is technical and material, since all three artists
 primarily work with linocut and woodcut. Their new exhibition at
 Hecho A Mano features more than thirty lino and woodcut prints in a
 wide range of formats. Each artist is showcasing a large-scale print, 
for this occasion, they all agreed to work with larger plates and
 utilize the maximum dimensions of the press.
The themes depicted in the exhibition are distinct for each artist:
 Cruz revisits his recurrent themes of childhood and animals; while
 Iván shows feminine
 figures with
 pre-Hispanic and
 religious references, 
inspired by the lives
 of his friends. For
this show, Chávez is
 presenting a woodcut
 series of plants and
 Mexican crops, such as
 corn, chile, and 
squash, in larger 
formats than she
 typically makes.
 According to her, the
 show summarizes the 
individual work of the 
collective members, as 
it reflects their 
interests and artistic
 explorations.

The creators mention 
that there is always a
 Day Of The Dead vibe in their images. It is a topic they always return to, because it is
 one of the festivities that they love the most, as do many Oaxacans.
 They say this tradition is so deeply rooted in their culture, that
 they often depict it without even realizing it. As a collective, 
there is always something that links them through their art, and the
 Oaxacan themes naturally emerge in their pieces.
“Sometimes we coincide in print formats or themes, but each in our 
own way and language. It might be hard for an outsider to tell what
the connections are, but we know between us what the references are,
 and who they come from. It’s not copying, it’s a natural consequence
 of sharing this space”, says Cruz. The three artists acknowledge
that the exhibition feels like temporarily transferring Burro Press
 studio to Santa Fe for a few weeks.