World's First and Only Mexican Beaded Volkswagen Arrives in the United States
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Washington D.C., Houston and Denver Among U.S. Cities Part of the International Tour; Paris and Brussels for the European Tour
MEXICO CITY--March 27, 2012: The following is being released today by Marca Pais -- Imagen de Mexico:
The world's first and only Volkswagen decorated with beads by Mexican Huichol Indians, namely the "VocholŪ", has arrived in the United States. The VocholŪ, a contemporary indigenous artwork, is being exhibited at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian Museum between March 20 thru May 6, 2012 in Washington, DC as part of its international tour. Click here to see MexicoToday's exclusive photos of the inauguration.
In an exclusive interview with Mexico's Museum of Popular Art president Marie Therese Hermand de Arango, she shared the VocholŪ's latest itinerary for the international tour with Mexico Today and said, "Following the Washington, D.C. exhibition, the VocholŪ will visit Denver in June for two months." When asked about Europe, Hermand de Arango stated, "After going back to Mexico for a first restoration, the VocholŪ will travel by sea to Paris, France where it will be exhibited on October 1. We are hoping to also show it in Brussels where we are in conversations with a famous venue. Following a second trip to Mexico for another restoration, the VocholŪ will come back to the United States for the inauguration of an important building in Houston, Texas on April 2013."
On March 20, Mexico Today attended to the inauguration ceremony where dozens of Mexicans living in the United States, friends of Mexico, as well as special guests visiting from Mexico celebrated the arrival of the beautiful piece of art.
The name VocholŪ is a combination of vocho, a name for the Volkswagen Beetle in Mexico, and Huichol which are the native Mexican Indians who beaded the car, originally from West Central Mexico and widely recognized for their colorful beadwork and fiber arts. The Huichol Indians took seven months to bead and design the car with almost 200 pounds of beads held together by 35 pounds of resin.
The VocholŪ serves as a demonstration of the complex intersections between traditional and modern cultures, and helps promote the Huichol Indians' rich culture and talent.
The project was made possible through the collaboration of the Association of Friends at Mexico's Museum of Popular Art, Mexico's Museum of Popular Art, and the state governments of Nayarit and Jalisco, home to the Huichol Indians.
