Amate is a type of bark paper first produced by the Aztec and Mayan civilizations, pre-contact. It was extensively used for communication, records, and rituals. European colonizers later banned the production of amate paper and replaced it with European industrialized paper. The unique texture creates individuality for each work of art.
In ancient Mesoamerica, birds inhabited cosmology and represented sacred ideology as creatures that could transcend the different levels of the sky, earth, and water realms. Feathers were also highly valued, even more so than other esteemed materials, such as greenstone, turquoise, or gold.
I was drawn to this amate painting because of the vibrant use of color and the symmetry. The posture of the birds is very liberating since the feathers take up the majority of the composition. You can also feel the connection of the birds through the piece. I recently visited home and noticed a forgotten painting of mine. I painted it in fourth grade, and it is currently hanging in our dining room. It dramatically resembles this painting, and I find it interesting how I was drawn to paint this quetzal bird, anticipating how my heart drew me to this magnificent piece.
Video About the Making of Amate Paper:
Pacha: Decolonizing Our Cosmos 