Maruch Méndez

K’atixtik, San Juan Chamula, Chiapas, Mexico, 1957. A self-taught specialist in terracotta, using the traditional clay of Chamula. She fires her pieces in an open hearth at her home. Méndez, a Tsotsil monolingual, is a j’ilol prayer, a visionary healer with high religious roles in her hometown. Recognized for her performances involving rituals and prayers, Méndez has showcased her artistic works in Mexico, California, Texas, and Paris. Alongside poet Ámbar Past, she represented the Taller Leñateros when receiving the National Civic Merit Award for their collective work in the art of indigenous peoples.