From the Mixtec Mountains of Oaxaca to the royal courts of Europe, the precious "carmín de Indias" was once a binding thread that connected the fate of seemingly opposing worlds. 

The "carmin routes" is perhaps the most suitable name for this multiplicity of trade routes that connected the secretive production of the precious pigment to the different marittime ports from where it was shipped to the rest of the World. Carmin not only gained its place in the palettes of Rubens and Velázquez, but in the silk brocades destined for Chinese emperors and the finest wools used in Persian rugs.

As part of this journey, I have dug deep into archival documents of 16th to 19th century trading and shipping companies, reconstructing the old trade routes (both official and of contraband), whilst visiting their main sites and uncovering the legacy left behind by its protagonists. 

Through Proyecto Na' (described below) I was able to reproduce pigment recipes registered by 17th century artists, and personally experience every step along the carmin's process, from the pigment's cultivation to its contemporary trade and application, gaining first-hand understanding of the intricate complexities involving every agent of these fascinating historical networks. 

Having conducted research in Oaxaca, Mexico City, Veracruz, Cádiz, Madrid and Genoa, I am hoping that this deeply personal journey will soon culminate in the publication of a limited-edition volume, allowing me to share with you the fascinating culture, common history, personal stories and extraordinary masterpieces that have certainly enriched the World thanks to this humble yet captivating little parasite. 

Proyecto Na'  was an initiative for the sustainable cultivation and artisanal production of organic pigments and inks, based in the three main historic pigments of Mesoamerican tradition: carmin or cochineal red (dactylopius coccus), calendula yellow (tagetes erecta) and indigo blue (indigofera suffruticosa), including the latter's mineral variant known as mayan blue.

The project was executed with the collaboration of farmers, craftspeople, artists and designers of different parts of Mexico (Oaxaca, Zacatecas y San Luis Potosí) and elsewhere. Through the implementation of a lab & microfarm, the initiative achieved the standardization and further development of traditional processes of cultivation and harvesting of raw materials, serial production of soluble inks and lake pigments; as well as establishing the proper the conditions of preservation and  packaging, application in textile dying, soluble mediums and pictorial surfaces. 

Thanks to a specialized collaborator, we were able to measure the environmental impact (both direct and indirect) of the entire production and distribution process, establishing firm goals in the reduction of our carbon footprint and the increase of our social impact. 

Through an adjacent exhibition space to the then workshop/studio located in the city of Oaxaca, two curatorial initiatives were implemented: "Y Tú Qué Has Perdido?" (And you? What have you lost?) by Daniel Delfín, and "Es Por Aquí" (It's this way) by Beto Ruiz; as well as other initiatives in favor of the local community. The project concluded in 2023, having achieved its aforementioned goals.

Special gratitude is due to collaborators: Pedro Vásquez, Roberto Esquivel, Beto Ruiz, Ariadna Vásquez, Victoire de Brantes, Alice Timmermans, Luis & Oscar Martínez, and many more who aided the many efforts and activities in different capacities. Thank you to all.

The 2020-21 pandemic was the context behind the interactive/curatorial action "Y TÚ QUÉ HAS PERDIDO?" (And you? What have you lost?) held around the local festivity of "Día de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead) at the studio/workshop in Oaxaca. The "interactive action" invited the community to express themselves through the experience of producing art. Two large canvases were provided both at the beginning and at the end of the itinerary, as well as red and purple carmin-ink handcrafted in the workshop. In between both canvases, three spaces were adapted to provoke a meaningful transformation within the public: firstly a video room (for the visualization of the recent events); secondly an isolation room presided by a hanging "petate" (vegetal fibre rug, symbolically related to death in Mexican culture), and a broom (with which the public was invited to hit the "petate" isolated by music); and finally a reflexion/meditation space presided by a "Altar de Muertos" (Altar for the Dead). As a result almost all attendees stayed in the courtyard for hours after completing the itinerary, sharing their personal experience of loss and bonding over our shared hope for the future. A special deed-of-gratitude is due to Pedro Vásquez, organizer of the flower-picking team, and primary craftperson and cultural-consultant behind the altar (without whom none would have been possible).

The second curatorial project held in the studio was "ES POR AQUÍ" (It's this way) by Beto Ruiz, a multidisciplinary artist and founder of Taller8, a textile workshop in Teotitlán del Valle (Oaxaca) known for its environmental and social responsibility as well as for its contemporary take on local culture. The opening, coincidental with the temporary lifting of pandemic restrictions, became an outstanding celebration presided by a "fandango", uniting all generations in music, open-air dance and much-necessary joy (also aided by Beto's famous Mezcal8). The designed itinerary showcased Beto's work throughout different disciplines, including digital experimentation, engraving, and textile-art, highlighting the positive impact of his artistic practice to both society and the environment. The public was aided by auxiliary texts and a visual screening of Taller8, providing a summarized insight into the complexity of Beto's method. The small garden in the courtyard was replanted with a rare variety of cactus found in the artist's workshop, and the walls were repainted by a shade of green reminiscent of the landscape of Taller8's surroundings. Finally, directed led-base lighting was purposedly installed throughout the two main exhibition spaces, reinforcing each piece's appreciation and the proper admiration of the intricate handwork behind them. The exhibition welcomed hundreds of visitors (until restrictions were reinstated) as well as ample coverage on local media.