¡Colores!; 2101; Interview with Catalina Delgado-Trunk, Disc 1

give them a second. So I'm not I won't have time to share that whole story. I wish that I would because I know that it's important but could you say can you say that same statement the importance of your work without sharing the actual story but kind of just giving a more general well I okay it's basically building bridges crossing those bridges the importance of what I do as an artist is is communication understanding building bridges crossing bridges and when you reach out and somebody comes back and says all I understand or all welcome Catalina from that space I'll be doing two worlds I have a place I have an identity and that's very very meaningful to not only myself but I've somebody

else's crossed and I've crossed over that bridge and we meet in the middle of that bridge it's really very satisfying so is that what you like about art and just that just that very last well so crossing those bridges is it's it's not that's right it's not it's not like you know you're you're up in in a cloud somewhere and so I'm kind of fancy gallery and you know it's really working with in the real world every day it's come you know I don't drive never learn how to drive so I walk everywhere so when you meet somebody on the sidewalk and they say hello and you and you say hello that really makes you feel good and can I do that then absolutely and and and and and if you if you reach out and not

then not some atmosphere up here it's very ethereal and very special but you really work with people especially workshops I really like doing that you know and yeah I think so so can you say like bring it into context that like like I think because the social aspect of it the social justice aspect and social like uplifting almost or something like that you can do with art and you're also saying that art can communicate and open up people's hearts almost or they can it opens people up to communicating so what I'm looking for is that how you're saying doing that is satisfying but I'm looking for that very last statement that's like you know the reason I do art is because when people

are communicating their building bridges they're making connections and that's what's important to you I think and so so I'm just looking for kind of like a statement that says that that's kind of small what I'm trying to say I think is how some people you know feel like museums or you know sort of a verb both in place you know if you don't hear if you're not one of the economically advantaged group of people you're afraid of going to the museum or you afraid of going to a concert or to a ballet or whatever and it isn't it's for everybody and it should be accessible for everybody that's the way I feel and does your art make it accessible do you try to make your art you know

I don't think I do because so in the context of but I I use a whole range of of Papere Picado you know the whole range but really to tell my stories to tell my I guess it does have to have a lot of explanation to it it's unfortunate but that's just the way I do it so how why is communicating important to you how else are we gonna ever get along and really break down the borders of prejudice and biases and his understandings and frankly hatred of each other you don't reach out and that's one thing I mean I think art is is is a very powerful

language powerful medium why do I think to do that I don't really want to say what I really think I know and you told me that you know it's talking what religion and I you know what you just said you know what you know I'm thinking because it's up here you know very and I understand why you want to do that and I think that that's important because I mean this is meant to be a story that can communicate the things that bring us to a greater understanding it's not a place to critique it necessarily I understand why you want to do it that way and I think that's a good good choice I just want that very last statement that you said like you almost had it you're so close

I'm talking about communication how it's important to reach out to get that close to it and art does that like if you just absolutely it does I mean if and you have to say the word art does it because my voice won't be in it and so the audience will understand art is is the the method of transportation the method of of it's a communicating line it's the it's it's it's the it's the means of communicating a breaking down misunderstandings biases prejudices I think as as well as a means of building important bridges that we really really need to have you I'm not saying that I don't know but anyway can I press you just a little bit more you know the thing is what I'm thinking now is for example and I

I'm not a very good Catholic okay I just really am not you know but I would raise as a Catholic and there's a church in Coyote can it's called San Juan Batista and it's a very emblematic way that it was used to teach about that belief system and it has a most fabulous artwork inside that church murals I learned more about the Catholic religion by viewing that artwork inside that church and sitting with some dull none teaching me cataclysm you see what I'm trying to say I learned a lot there it was used for didactic purposes and that was art and people were you could reach out through them people dancing and for the churches that's

spirituality that you see in those dancers is it's it's just very very moving that's a form of art that they're communicating with their god music their music secret music it's very very moving you just try to listen to some of the back stuff and that's art so through art not only do you do you have dialogues within your own society but you have the dialogues with the spiritual realm and that's why I think some of my work is pretty complicated because I do use those myths and symbols because also my way of communicating into the spiritual realm so it's not only the human realm but the spiritual realm that's

that's very important to me that was my diplomatic way of saying okay I think I know I think I understand what you're saying I know but you've got to cut out a lot of stuff and I don't want to I'm sorry I have to do that and it's okay I don't I don't mind cutting it as long as I mean you knew I was gonna have to I don't care because you know it is it's still running so just one more thing from you is that that very end statement and you don't you know because art does that it's that way of communicating it's that way of like bringing what you think is important into the world so and communicating that to other

people but also to myself that I did mention to them to within my spiritual self right you did you had to at least for me that's that's a very important talent that's so amazing Catalina that you were able to verbalize that I did you did and you did I understand what you mean right and I want it to come across so so people say so like it's almost like a so your art is and that and the stories that those narratives that you carry are a way for you to kind of describe who you are that's why in that spiritual way and so maybe just for that last sentence at the very end of the piece like maybe something just like

one little sentence it says that and then end and kind of like you know like given nod and then that gives me a place to to end it okay I see humans as a conduit between the sky or heaven and earth and mind you know this mess in the Middle East and whether they don't have any simple or they don't have any picture and I'm thinking these people won't pick us back to seven century black hell that won't be the buzzard he's very good at that they're real buzzard and doing that I'm starting to really

understand something about your work that you're kind of telling us right now and I just feel like it's I mean I don't mean to use the word important that I want to tell your story well I appreciate it and I admire you very much for working so hard because you do something has to be a good quality job so I don't mind it all don't worry about it but I tell you about the rabbit you did and that that totally did that totally told that story and so you know what I'm searching for almost just in a short little snippet and well one day I'll tell you the fish wouldn't I anyway they're okay yeah garbage yeah but just you know what we're on at the very end there right before the camera went off was you were you were talking about how your art is a way to describe who you are and you're talking about the sky and the earth and that spiritual thing

that spiritual place that is I think your identity and your art and and to use the word art and because remember that my voice won't be in it and so knowing what you're talking about so you don't you don't you don't talk at all at all not even a little bit I'm kind of awkward but but you are but you know for the context you know don't use words like it or that or you know kind of try to I don't use words like it or that I know you don't know that it's going to make you know that it is that it is that's like so in that but in that very thing you were kind of just telling me okay I'll tell the importance of

your art okay do you okay are you recording yeah are you ready oh you have yeah okay I see humans as a conduit between the sky or heaven the earth and the underworld and we communicate constantly between these three realms the earthly realm is addressing crossing bridges like I mentioned but then the spiritual self and that is very very important to me is to communicate to the sky or heaven that's that's that's all my the spiritual communications I have as well as for the underworld and it's the underworld it's not hell learning

that it's down the world because of my ancestors if it weren't for them I would not be here so there's got to be that communication also where is it my creation who created me who are my it's very hard to talk about but I understand it I feel it those are that's the that communication between those three realms the very important element in my artwork that that works yeah there's a battery was it an understanding I understand it she here might be so fire did I Then I hit a that or it so just that very last sentence you don't have to say the whole story you can almost just say and that's why my art is important

that's what I like to do with my that's what I'm doing with my art or that's what the communication between in the spiritual realm where it's then a world or the sky or heaven play a very very important role in my artwork yes we got it I was gonna say is that I said it is it really almost is and it's and it's kind of like I think you're a very personable person and so I was Yeah.

Okay. That's it. So that's my brain for you? Yeah, pretty much. I don't change any brain. Yeah. So what's your English term? I'm sorry. We do our hair. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. What's your English term? Sorry. We do our hair. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Greg. Okay. You see it? Yeah. Nothing takes that off for you. Okay. Okay.

Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Don't like that, maybe, too. Let's give that a little bit of that, huh? Scene fly or something? Yes. Okay. Then we got that then. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So. You see? Yeah. Here we go. Kind of seeing a bit of the camera in the shot. How's that? Yeah. Okay. Okay.

Breathe. Okay. Okay. Okay. You're rolling. It's fearing. Yeah. Yeah. Just try to get more O. Okay. So it's going to. I'm trying to get the blade, you know? You know, okay, well, about that is that better? You're awesome. Okay, okay. Okay, just say, just say, and go.

I'll turn it on the two of you. Alright, all good. or something. Okay, or you want something else just talk to me. Maybe actually not quite white, maybe a little bit more over this way.

Okay. Cool. What happens if you go to the other side, would you be able to see that? Yeah, probably better. Yeah, probably better. Speed. Okay. Isn't it really very sad? I know you want to be. I know I'm kind of neurotic, but I like doing it. It's good to teach how to work. You know, Switzerland, you can't graduate from high school unless you take one semester of good paper. Up in Dixon, I talk to a fellow up in Dixon, New Mexico, and it's a high school class to do a mural.

Yeah. Where is Dixon? Where is Dixon? It's probably pretty good, John. Where is Dixon?

There you go. Okay. Really close. Let's see. Okay.

Watch your eyes again. Okay. Ready?

Yeah. Voila. I work? Yeah. Okay. Maybe one, two more. There you go. Yeah, that looks nice. Okay. Okay. Okay. So should I be, oh, just like just just stay right there.

Should I be like here and then let her come in on my shot or should I follow her? I don't know. I'm thinking I should be here and then Google find her down there. And we're rolling and ready. Do you want me to do the can can at the end here? Sure. Yeah. Cool. So nice. Actually. We do one more with better frames and go. Follow drill, talk to Shirley. I'm shaking. Yeah.

You know the sticks are like, I can't. It's dark. You just wish you can be like. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's hard to move it around all the time. It is. It's a seller. It's worth. Yeah. It's worth. Yeah. It does some cool stuff like in the capital too where we couldn't get a tripod or do away. And we just slumed it. I did this thing on to a dome. And it hit slow so it was like, you know, ten in here and tell. Okay. Awesome. Yeah. All right. Okay. Sorry. And rolling. Ready. Okay. Right here. Okay. Ready. Angle. One more time. Ready. Good. Okay. Okay, so one more time we just hold this for a second because it's so pretty to look at the shimmery kind of get more of it. Oh, it's kind of here.

Yeah. And then you have to move a little. Hold on. Ready. Okay. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Ready. Perfect. Perfect. Nice moment. Cool. Okay. And I got a short here. I'm going to turn it on right back. Yeah. It's coming out. It's coming out. It's me. Okay. I've seen somebody over there. No, that is. No, I guess not. Okay. What? Something like this. Yeah. Something like that. Yeah. Something like this. Maybe just a. And then she'd refer us. We'll do that. Okay. It's okay. I kind of almost want to. Be lower. Kind of. How about if I'm through the back?

No, it's better if you're forward. Actually, that's why that's better because that can be better because this way. Oh, come out here a little bit more. There you go. That helps a lot. Okay. Yeah. Because if you're right next to one foot. One foot. Okay. Okay. Okay. We are doing good. Great. Okay, Catalina. What is this piece? This piece refers to the rise of the Mexican nation. What is Mexico? What are its roots? And what it is now? And it was inspired for me. Also number one. The history of it. And number two is called Demox. Last mandate. That he wrote in 1521. So down here we have the ocean. And here is Cortez. Now you'll ask me why two of them. The basic philosophy throughout Mesoamerica was a philosophy of dualism.

Everything has its opposite. So I did two of them, guys and rules. So Cortez. The missionaries. Coming into Tenochtitlan, which was the seat of the Aztec Empire. And symbolized it with Quetzalkoald, the feathered serpent. Going into Klallok, the ring god. So he is seeing out into the ocean, seeing these people coming in. Then the Spanish soldiers. So that's the combination of the beginning, of the conquest, of combining the Spanish images and the images of the Aztec Empire. So then our last emperor.

We had Muptezuma. And Quetzalkoald died within six months. He died of smallpox. And then Muptezuma's nephew. Quotemok. Quotemok means eagle that descends. So that was our last emperor. And I referred to Quotemok in the former piece about Tepečko. He was her last native, our Aztec husband. The Spaniards burned his feet looking for the treasure. And then he didn't reveal anything. And he went on some expert. He was taken as a slave on an expedition to Honduras. And historians believe that he was strangled on that particular journey. Out of that rose the Mexican nation.

So that's the symbol that we have in the center of our flag. The eagle eating the serpent. That was where the Aztecs went to the island of Nošitlan. They had been told that they saw this eagle sitting on a cactus eating the serpent. That's where they should settle for their journey. So that has pre-columnar roots. Grasshoppers. Olin. Olin is now at work for movement, for change. So grasshoppers. I thought, I'm going to symbolize change and movement. And so I just took four grasshoppers. And as you see, I do have the idea of dualism on everything. So basically that's a story of that. And it comes from that last mandate.

And... Is it, are those your roots? Those are my roots, yeah. Those are my roots. And here's a beginning of mestizaje. Men coming in into the Aztec empire. And all throughout Mesoamerica. So that's kind of the beginning there. So this is what is the Mexican nation. And also the rising that has begun to occur and has occurred of our new son, which is our new nation. And that is addressed in this last mandate. And it's something very moving to me. The mandate that was read to me since I was very, very young. And I read it about it once a week. And it inspires me.

It's part of the spirituality that I was talking about previously. So he wrote that in 1521. 1521, that's correct. That was the fall of the empire. What empire? Aztec empire. What a fall of Aztec empire. It was the settlement in the beginning of the conquest by the Spaniards. And so that's why you are who you are. That's what I am who I am. And his mandate is very, very, very moving. And what connection to your... It gives me connection, but it also gives me a commission. And he does stress that commission that we have to pass on our roots of what... A network. A network was their world. That's how they describe their world.

And how wonderful it had been. And how the son had gone down for the empire, he would rise again. And it has. And I know it has. Am I lived by that precip? But the commission is to pass it on to the next generation. How wonderful it was. And how wonderful it will become. And that's a very important role for me. It's to pass on what little I know. And what little I can do is to the next generation. To go to schools, workshops, what have you passing the word on again. That's really cool. Because you tell me, in general, just in general, not relating to this piece. Because you tell me about the importance in the symbols of the dualism. Just as a separate little piece.

Well, symbolism of dualism. The symbolism of dual light and darkness. One more time. One more time. Symbolism by historicism. Of dualism. And that was the axis. One more time. You had a bump. The axis of the philosophy was dualism. Well, everything has its opposite. And the symbols are not just in this piece, but I don't know a lot. You have life and death. Light and dark. You see a lot of towards two faces also. And one is a death face. And another one is a life face. Male and female. The gods do take on feminine identity, as well as masculine identity, not all of them. But you will see that. That's the way the dualism is. What does the dualism mean?

That's the fullness of the world. That's the reality of the world. That's the way it is. There's nothing that is just single and unique. That it stands by itself. That it without the other. This one can't stand. Perfect. Cool. And what is the name of this piece? This is Maya Well. Just plain Maya Well. Maya Well was the goddess of the Maya Plan. She was a very, very powerful goddess and plays into a lot of the myths. So this piece really addresses myth and how it's applied in its daily life. So it's the gifts that she has given us. The gifts of Maya Well. Okay. The Maya Plan. You can make roofs out of the Maya, out of the Maya Leaves.

They also serve for fire because it can burn them. So it's kind of like firewood. That Lucky Chiro is the, you know, we still have him today for the tequila. And he's the one that, you know, extracts the awamiel, the water, from the Maya Plan. So that's the water awamiel, which is very, very refreshing, cuts your thirst. If it's fermented, it's either for pulque or for tequila. So it has that, it's used for rope. But it serves as food for the birds. These are the tools needed by the Lucky Chiro. So it serves for jobs for the artisans that make the tools. The chini cuiles. The chini cuiles are the worms. The little white worms.

They're delicious. They're tiny, little white worms. But it was a very important source of protein. Remember, no cattle. And they live in the, one or two of them. There's the red one that's poisonous. And then there's the white one. That is, that is serves as food. You can make paper out of it. The cortices that I mentioned. Some of them were made of, of my gay fiber. It's very rich. It's very beautiful paper. And cloth. These are the, now. So she plays a lot on, and the creation myths. You like to, I would tell you about one of them, but maybe later on. And, and, and also on the story, how and when you're to plant a my gay. There's a my gay. Once it flowers,

and then the thorns are used. You cut off the, the, the leaf. The thorns are used as needles. A lot of the clothing is sewn with the my gay fiber. It's a wonderful needle because it comes with its own thread. You don't have to thread it, okay? So once it flowers, and here, then it's like a shadow cuts the heart of the my gay. But he can only do it. In this, in this kind of moon, the rising moon, that's, we look at the, at the moon, the phase of the moon. When you're going to plant it, you go to a particular hill to say some prayers to Tla-Lok, again, the rain god. So be it nice rain, and there's the prayers. You know, they go and pray, pray. And she's tied into the myths, a Ketzalcoat.

Here again, we had duality, a double serpent. Ketzalcoat, the feathered serpent. And real quick, the myth itself is, she was kind of responsible for the conquest of Mexico that he would return. And it's kind of attributed to her fault why he left. So that's... So can you tell us the importance of, like, just, again, I'm looking for, like, just one sentence, kind of, like, short kind of synopsis, of how you use to remember the origins of, and the importance of the story behind the planet, kind of, I don't know. That doesn't make quite sense. You used story to pay respect to the plant. It's not only to pay respect to the plant,

but, yes, but the thing is that the story behind it to something so utilitarian. Here we have roof. We have fire. You know, we have a drink for thirst or a drink for joy. We have a rope, a job's protein, how diverse paper, textiles, how diverse is one plant. So it is a very sacred plant because these are her gifts. That's why she is such an important role in the pantheon. Awesome. That was perfect. Okay. Thank you.