What happens when 200 women from different phases of life, language and culture come together to weave a seven-kilometre work of art? Well, the answer lies in the façade of the Mexico Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
“We are a people place, and this is just a corner of Mexico we have showcased at Expo 2020 Dubai,” said Bernardo Noval, Director of the Mexico Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
The pavilion, titled under ‘Tejiendo Vidas’, which translates to ‘weaving lives’, took two months to weave, two weeks to print – all of which was done by women from the Etzatlan Weavers Association, from the Mexican state of Jalisco, popular for its handcrafts and folk art. It took another three days to drape the finished product on the three-storeyed building.
“We wanted to give them the freedom and identity that most women don’t receive world over, thus empowering them, even if it meant the most delicate task,” said Betsabeé Romero, a visual artist behind the art installations at the pavilion.
However, don’t be deceived by its appearance, for this pavilion carries more inside than what meets the eye.
Wrapped in hues of red, yellow and blue, the Latin American pavilion is a cultural representation of the past, the present and the future – all under one roof.
Migrants, monarchs and metaphors
Step into the pavilion and you will find yourself surrounded by a screen that shows the Monarch butterflies in flight. This resonates with the country, especially as and when they migrate to different parts of the world.
However, when you do walk your way further inside the pavilion, a glimpse, a sound and a feel of nature surrounds you in a reel of photographer Pepe Soho’s picturesque vision. In a signature Soho-style, the mirrored museum holds the key to his Mystika: a virtual space designed to help visitors experience the most endearing sights of Mexico, one of which is the famed Mayan pyramids and Aztecs.
Shop under a floral dome
On your exit from the spatial museum, a handicraft store awaits your visit. Made by traditional artisans, this store is adorned with flowers in colours that translate to the Mexican flag.
These handicrafts were brought in to educate visitors about one of their most-valued economic industries – a tradition that has existed ever since pre-Columbian times – run by the National Fundfor the Promotion of Handicrafts.
If you ever pay a visit to Mexico pavilion, you are in for a jamming session with a traditional Mexican mariachi band!
