Aruna Calderon Rivera fell in love with the ancient clay techniques of Oaxaca, which is surrounded by the mountains of the Sierra Mixe and Central Valley. Working as an industrial designer at that point, he immediately felt the urge to create something more meaningful. So in 2019, he launched Sustancia, an interior design project that fuses modern design with pre-Columbian pottery techniques that date back at least 3,000 years. This great company thrives on true collaboration with artisans.
In the state of Oaxaca alone, there are 70 active communities engaged in the art of pottery, with “some 3,000 years of continuous lineage shared through oral tradition and maintained through the practice of turque, the exchange of goods as an economic system. are preserved,” Aruna explained to Mexico. News Daily. The state is home to the Sierra Mixteca and Sierra Sur mountains, whose topography is often compared to “crumpled paper.” This topography is one of the reasons why the region’s rich cultural diversity, including its exquisite clay tradition, has been preserved.
Oaxaca’s famous artisans have been creating traditional art for centuries. (Sustancia/Instagram)
“I call it clay resistance, and it’s been that way for thousands of years. At first glance, it looks simple, but when you touch it and start working with it, you will notice the color and texture of the clay and the sophisticated techniques used. We polish the pieces with river stones. This gives them shine, closes the pores and increases the durability of locally made pieces.”
learn design together
When Aruna started visiting these communities, there are six in total: four in Oaxaca, one in Chiapas, and one in Morelos, she realized that a true design proposal would require collaboration with artisans. I noticed. The trip fostered beautiful surprises, he said, including “deep and lasting bonds with family and a deep respect for traditional clay and the cultural and ritual identity behind it.”
Aruna uses a collaborative design approach to create unique pieces, including lamps that double as flower stands. One of the most moving stories about this undertaking occurred after the 2017 earthquake in the Zapotec community of San Marcos Tlapazola, when a family unearthed an ancient object in the shape of a face. Inspired by this aesthetic, the Faces series was born and has been a hallmark of Oaxaca pottery ever since.
“We realized that we needed to dig deeper into design and go beyond designers’ desire to be recognized as individuals in their work. This made for an attractive partnership as they are masters of their craft and I bring a contemporary vision, respect different boundaries and encourage a participatory design approach. was born.”
Aruna Calderon, Founder of Sustancia (Ana Paula de la Torre).
Currently, Sustancia is working with the Sierra Mixe communities of Amatenango del Valle in Chiapas, Los Reyes Mezzontla in Puebla, Ayala in Morelos, and Las Flores and Tamazlapam del Espiritu Santo in Oaxaca to create original designs. Masu. In the Central Valles Islands, we collaborate with San Marcos Trapasola and Santa María Azompa. Sustancia employs a variety of techniques, including “burnished clay,” “red clay,” “glazed clay,” and another technique known as “churro.” This technique involves creating a “churro” shaped roller and using it to create the finished product. Finally, smooth it with a cob or ote to give it another shape. They have their own polishing techniques,” explains Aruna.
modern and millennium
Sustancia is an artisanal interior design company at the forefront of the current scene, combining research, knowledge, tradition, technology and identity with contemporary creativity. 43% of sales go directly to families, 30% covers operating costs, and the remaining 20% is allocated to research that combines social design principles with solutions to specific community needs.
Regarding the state of Mexican interior design and its connection to the ceramic tradition, Aruna believes that a reappraisal of this millennium gemstone is taking shape. The movement began with academic research efforts reflected in iconic publications such as Great Masters of Oaxacan Folk Art and Clay and Fire, and a market that embraced this knowledge and the ritual energy contained in clay. This led to the growth of
Ana Paula de la Torre is a Mexican journalist who has written for Milenio, Animal Politico, Vice, Spanish Newsweek, Televisa, and Mexico News Daily.
