Lecture of Mexican Ambassador in the occasion of the Day of the Dead
1384-08-15 23:30:00

 

 

TEHRAN (IAO) – The following is the full text of the Mexican Ambassador; Luis Ortiz Monastrio. He delivered his speech on the occasion of the Day of the Dead, which was held in the Iranian Artists' Forum, on November 7 with presence of diplomats and officials of different embassies and those who were interested in traditional ceremonies of Mexico.

 

 

 

First of all, I would like to acknowledge the full support of my friend, Behrouz Gharibpour, honorable director of the Iranian Artists' Forum. In only one month, we have been able to present two exhibitions in this outstanding cultural center.

The celebration of the Day of the Dead is one of the Mexico's most cherished traditions.

In comparison with other cultures which celebrate the dead a tragic and full of fears. We, the Mexicans, remember our ancestors with sweet and flowers.

Mexico is a delicate blend among ancestral and millenary cultures by one side and the influx of the Spanish colonization.

This cultural synthesis between two magnificent streams of humanity, allows us to watch the world symmetrically with indigenous eyes and Western reception. Mexico is simultaneously Eastern and Western. We are proud of this mixture.

This internal dichotomy explains our vocation to bridge cultures and civilizations.

This presentation today must be understood in this framework: A living dialog among two mighty cultures; the Iranian and Mexican.

In the first days of November, coinciding with the beginning of the crops season, every Mexican household prepares home altars for the ancestors, setting a lavishly adorned table with the favorite food for our dead.

The soul of our ancestors, attracted by the alluring odors of the favorite food and following the track of the yellow flower and zenpasuchil, visit us from a long journey back from the world beyond. Once they arrive they will share a meal with the living during all night wakefulness.

Like the Mexican food, the day of the dead altar is the violent mixture of life, color odors and memories.

Welcome to our annual celebration. Share with us the joy of the colors, flavors and tastes of the Mexican food. Remembering our ancestors is the best guarantee that may be one day in the future. Somebody is going to remember ourselves.

 

Iran Art Organization
http://www.iranao.com/en/news.php?id=2380

Mexican Death Celebration Held in IAF
1384-08-15 20:32:53

 

Mexican Ambassador; Luis Ortiz Monastrio delivers his speech in the ceremony

 

TEHRAN (IAO) - The tribute to death celebration on November of each year represents one of Mexico's most deeply-rooted traditions.

Accordingly, the Iranian Artists' Forum (IAF) was the host of holding the celebration, on November 6, at 19:00. Luis Ortiz Monastrio delivered a speech on the traditions of the "Day of the Dead"; you can read the full text of the lecture in our website.

You can read the report of the traditional ceremony of the "Day of the Dead" as follow:

 

Altar of the Mexican deads

 

It was also the tribute to Salvador "CHAVA" Flores (Musician) and Gabriel Vargas (Draftman).

Throughout world history, death has been a motive of fears and sadness, of honor, respect and ridicule, but above all it is of praise and tribute.

In Mexico, the celebration of "Dia de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead) is a combination of pre-Hispanic traditions and Christian religion.

To the ancient pre-Hispanic civilizations that inhabited Mesoamerica (part of Mexico and Central America) life was passage toward death and birth to life once more. In that concept, death was not the end, it was but part of a cycle uninterrupted.

According to the cosmos vision of the pre-Hispanic nations, the dead continues to live and has the same needs as the living. That is why they are buried with receptacles full of food, drinks and the tools of their trade.

In accordance with these traditions, the dead will return on the day that their family and loved ones commemorate them, on this day an altar is prepared in their honors as a symbolic tribute.

On these altars, the picture and belongings of the departed, religious images as well as their favorite dishes are all colorfully decorated.

However great the variation may be among the altars of the different regions, for their significant: water, salt, flowers and candles.

Water relinquishes the souls thirst and refreshes the path to the beyond. Salt is an invitation to the banquet and serves to purify its essence. Candle symbolizes the souls of our departed loved ones, and the cempasuchil flowers with their vivid yellow and orange color represent light and the sun which assist the souls not to loose their way in returning home.

Iran Art Organization

Interview with Mexican Ambassador: Muralism, Common in Iranian and Mexican Art
1384-07-23
By: Ladan Saedi

 

Mexican Ambassador in Iran, Luis Ortiz Monastrio in IAF

 

TEHRAN (IAO) - The Mexican Ambassador in Tehran, Luis Ortiz Monasterio was the guest of the Iranian Artists' Forum (IAF). Our first visit was on the opening day of sculpture exhibition of Mexican artist; Ernesto Alvarez.

We invited the ambassador Luis Ortiz Monasterio to the Iranian Artists' Forum, on the third night of the month of Ramadan, on October 8. He accepted our invitation and came with his wife; Guadulope Ortiz Monacterio and Rodrigo Azaola, Political Affairs and Concurrences, third Secretary.

In the session, we talked about the art and culture of Mexico and its common points with Iran's. You can read our friendly interview as follow:

One of the things we are planning to bring an exhibition of Mexican muralism especially after the Mexican Revolution in 2007.

We (ambassadors) are here to create bridges between two countries.

We have to work more and more to show to Mexico about your splendid art not only the past, but the contemporary art.

 

Mexican ambassador with his wife and the third secretary of the embassy in Golestan Restaurant of IAF

 

A sample of Mlar in the Mexican streets

 

- Mexico is a country rich in history, culture and a variety of arts and crafts. It is cradle of some of the most advanced civilizations of the world, such as the Olmecs, Toltecs, Mayas, and Aztecs among others. What are the similarities between art, culture and tradition of Iran and Mexico?

- Both countries have a very old history. They have come from the very depth of the past. Our culture has some qualities and it is the best proof they have survived 5 or 7 thousand years and we share with Iran in the principle of our culture and we have different monuments. It shows that our both countries have a very strong and rooted in the people's art.

The most important parallels of our art, I have the impression that both countries had in the past a very parallel tradition in the arts, culture, monuments and architecture. If you go to Mexican ancient monuments, you can discover a lot of similarities with the ancient architecture of Iran.

One of the artists' compulsory is painting, because of very strong tradition of non-figurative art and we have a lot of figurative arts in Mexico. Because of your Muslim principles, you don't represent figures of human beings or animals.

We have a lot of tendency to present figures of human beings, portraits and so on. It was the most important difference and the main similarity. In architecture, sculpture we have a lot of things to share. In painting, we have this principle of separation between the two countries in the area of figurative art. We are very proud of our tradition in figurative art.

There is some thing which I see very common between your country and ours which is the murals. I have seen murals in the streets especially in the great cities. After the Mexican Revolution, the government allowed the painters to take the walls of the city and walls of the buildings to portrait the new message of the revolution. You have done the same thing. In muralism, we have a lot of things to interchange and establish a dialog between Iran and Mexico.

- Was muralism in Iran influenced by the Mexican murals?

- Yes, it is also very attractive for me. It is the stream of interchange of experiences of muralism. One of the things we are planning to bring an exhibition of Mexican muralism especially after the Mexican Revolution in 2007. It is very close to what we are doing, I was very surprised when I first saw the murals in the streets, and it sounds very familiar to us. The principles are the same. The walls are taken by the artist to spread the word about a new social change in the case of the revolution.

- Do the Mexican people know any thing about art and literature of Iran? Iranian artists know the Mexican art and literature. For example, all of the works of the female Mexican author, Laura Esquivel have been translated into Persian.

- We have to confess that the knowledge we have from each other not about the art, about the country is very weak. You have more knowledge about the Mexican art than our knowledge about Iran. Do you know why? We are here to create bridges between two countries. Next April, we are going to have an important exhibition of art from Iran. I would like to take that opportunity to show Mexicans more about the art, culture and society of this country.

We have to work more and more to show to Mexico about your splendid art not only the past, but the contemporary art. I am going to get very close with your embassy in Mexico, in order to spread the good news of art about Iran in Mexico. Last year, we had an Iranian musical group in Mexico, in Servantino Festival.

- There are two different cultures in Mexico, the Indians and Spanish. They are in contradiction of each other. What do you think about this mixture?

- Racially, we are mixed. Almost 70 percent of our population is mixed population. We are a combination of both Indian and European origins. This is not a contradiction; we consider it as a complement.

We never had colonies and troops outside of Mexico. The Spanish brought the language and religion to Mexico. There is a sweat contradiction between two. That contradiction is the source of the energy of the Mexico. We are proud of our origins. That made our art very singular, because we have adopted all this kind of old traditions as roots of our own contemporary tradition.

 

Iran Art Organization
http://www.iranao.com/en/news.php?id=2313

 

 

TEHRAN (IAO) - The opening of painting exhibition of the Mexican painter and sculptor, Ernesto Alvarez was held in IAF, September 25. Luis Ortiz Monasterio, the Mexican ambassador in Iran delivered a speech in the ceremony. You can read as follow:

 

 

It is a hard task to hold a statue exhibition in Iran. This nation's cultural history dates back to over 7,000 years ago, and it is the inheritor of the brilliant era of the Achaemenian, Sassanid and Medes. I knew sculpture in Iran, through the sculpture biennale. From that time to the present, we have discovered a deep current among the young artists. That is why, Mexico presents in this suitable place; the Iranian Artists' Forum (IAF).

Ernesto Alvarez, the Mexican sculptor, was born in Mexico City, on April 20 1958. He studied visual arts, in National Visual Arts School of Independent University of Mexico, in 1978. He got M.A. in 1981.

He is a leading artist in painting and sculpture. The dominant colors are blue, red, yellow and other deep colors combined with black. He has a long record in artistic works. He has displayed his works in American countries and Latin America. His works are known in Europe and Asian continent especially in Japan.

I am proud of holding this exhibition in Tehran and in the Iranian Artists' Forum (IAF). I hope that you can enjoy the exhibition.

 

Iran Art Organization
http://www.iranao.com/en/news.php?id=2249

Mexico With Painting and Documentary in IAF
1384-06-26 16:32:20

 

 

TEHRAN (IAO) - The painting exhibition of Ernesto Alvarez, Mexican painter and sculptor would be held in IAF, on September 24. Two documentary films would also be screened about art and painting in Tajin area of Mexico.

Accordingly, the programs of Mexico Embassy were supposed to be held this week, but there were no empty halls in IAF, and it would be held next week.

Alvarez has held various exhibitions in different countries. He works in the field of conceptual arts.

Iran Art Organization