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Chiquitano Art Overview The art of the Jesuit Chiquitos missions is characterised first and foremost by its hybrid character. It certainly is European Baroque in terms of both overt style (much of it ornate by modern standards, with gilding, flowing edges, and other period mannerisms) and subject matter (usually a litany of saints, Christ, and the Virgin Mary). But it also is infused with a strong streak of native imagery (e.g., the use of mythical creatures, local flora, and abstract figures as embellishments) and sentiment (a strong inclination towards the mystical; subtle facial characteristics reminiscent of those of native peoples). What is most remarkable about this artisic amalgam is not so much the result - the beauty and ability to inspire, which no one would deny - but the fact that it ever happened. Had the Jesuit missionaries been less willing to work with the accepted cultural practices of the inhabitants of the Chiquitania, and/or had the native peoples been less willing to adapt and incorporate European motifs into their artistic output, the result would have been very different: what was so often the case elsewhere when two cultures met - the imposition of one society's views upon the cultural framework of the other.
Instead, the Jesuits and Chiquitano formed (although neither would have expressed it as such) a partnership, one that was, all things considered, fairly balanced and centuries ahead of its time. The Jesuits allowed the natives a free hand in the art that was produced, and these inhabitants of their reducciones were both willing to accommodate the missionaries' preferences and desirous of representing them through their own eyes. Just as the Jesuits were indefatiguable in their work, so too were the Chiquitano, Ayoreo, Guarayo, and other peoples. They were endlessly talented in creating whatever was needed, be it a small wooden carving or an entire church complex, a single drum or an entire orchestra with a complete score in classical Latin. Well ahead of their contemporaries in terms of cultural pluralism, the missionaries considered art an international language that served a number of purposes, an especially useful consideration in light of the Jesuits' evangelisation efforts. While language could create formidable boundaries (as it nearly did with the more than 30 different dialects spoken in the Chiquitania at that time), art could communicate across disparate cultures, allowing all groups in the mission environment an opportunity to find a common form of expression. For the Jesuits, art literally was a form of preaching that visually expressed and impressed the tenets of Christianity, an invaluable aid in conveying them to an illiterate populace. The indigenous tribes, on the other hand, used art to express their ethnic identities by blending native styles and iconographies with Christian subjects. Perhaps the best summation of this syncretistic approach is Dr. Gauvin A. Bailey's startlingly accurate observation that: "Instead of merely being converted to Christianity, mission societies used art to convert Christianity" (from "On the Trail of Jesuit Mission Art").
If you're interested in exploring this fascinating hybrid art and the conditions that led to it, your best bet by far is the recently published Art of Colonial Latin America (paperback ed., 2005) by Bailey, which treats the Jesuit-Chiquitano culture to some degree and is excellent reading. A brilliant treatment of the topic of Jesuit mission art in general (although not that of these missions themselves) is his Art on the Jesuit Missions in Asia and Latin America, 1542-1773 (paperback ed., 2001). For a great coffee table-sized book full of nice photographs, check out Misiones Jesuíticas, by Jaime Cisneros. Make sure it's the second edition, published in 1998 (the original 1996 edition has Spanish text only). The English translation (side-by-side with the original Spanish) is appalling, but the photographs are excellent and the text is written in layman's terms. The Chiquitania is now slowly awakening to the fact that is has a unique and highly sought-after artistic output, much of which fortunately is still in the hands of the people who engendered it. Supported in large part by leading non-profit organisations like Artechiquitano, Asociación Pro Arte y Cultura (APAC), Centro Amazónico de Desarrollo Forestal (CADEFOR), the Chiquitano Artisans Association (ASARCHI), and especially Mancomunidad de Municipios Chiquitanos, the art of the Chiquitania is thriving again, and - one hopes - in time so will the people who make it.
Of course, the art of the Chiquitania encompasses more than just that of the Jesuit missions (i.e., Chiquitano art per se). Apart from the prehistoric cave and wall paintings that dot the Sureste Cruceño, or the gems found and crafted in San Matías and Puerto Suárez, there is other craftsmanship at work as well. Guarayos Province, only marginally affected by the Jesuit colonial presence, is famous for the production of colourful ceramics and fabrics (especially hammocks and the like). These pieces are profoundly indigenous in composition, and owe little to European influence. What you spend in the Chiquitania in purchasing its art carries far more weight than you'll ever know. It's not just that you're supporting a small enterprise in a low-income area, believe me. You also may be helping to feed a family, educate a child, or supply medicine to people who otherwise would not have these things. Please do not fall into the trap of buying from US-based distributors who turn a profit at the expense of the native artisans, all the while claiming how they are trying to help them. This is hypocrisy at its absolute worst. If you cannot buy in person from the artisans themselves, send an email and I'll put you in touch with any of them directly. The overwhelming majority of the supposedly socially enlightened importers trafficking in the art of the Chiquitania one sees on the Internet are neither natives nor responsible, and precious little of their (very healthy) profit ever makes it back to the Chiquitania. Not convinced? Ask for an annual report and decide for yourself who profits in this game.
If you're starting your trip from Santa Cruz, you can get an idea of what the art - and lifestyle in general - of the Chiquitania is like by visiting these places first. The first three are museums and the remaining four are (or are affiliated with) local non-profit organisations. Your patronage of these places goes straight to the people, and will help in maintaining the livelihoods of the artisans, as well as their families and communities. To make things a little easier, you can pretty much rule out the Centro de Interpretación Turística y Cultural (Tourist and Cultural Interpretation Centre) on the north side of the main plaza as a source. While interesting - and air conditioned - it does not really treat the Chiquitania (much less its art), but rather the traditions of the city of Santa Cruz. On the other hand, it's free, and there are generally a bevy of cute, earnest young guides of either sex who will steer you through its exhibits. Tel. 3.3347266, supposedly open from 0900 to 2200 every day, but call ahead, as its hours are rarely that.
One other store, albeit not a non-profit, deserves mention because of its fair prices, excellent selections, and outstanding customer service. (Trust me, you won't find those three descriptors employed elsewhere relative to Bolivian enterprises.) Vicuñita Handicrafts, 3.3340591, on the corner of calles Independencia and Ingavi, is a collection of five separate family-owned artesanías (and one travel agency, Vicuñita Tours, 3.3372460, also highly recommended). The only artesanía in the entire city that is open during siesta and seven days a week, one or more of these stores always has interesting (and affordable) items from the Chiquitania (although most of its wares hail from the altiplano). The Cornejo family - amongst the nicest people you'll ever meet anywhere - will see to it that you find exactly what you're after. It doesn't hurt that the owners' two really cute daughters, Zulema and Carola, also work there. (It does hurt that they're both married.) Questions on Jesuit mission and/or Chiquitano art in general? Send an email.
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