By IASP.
Craft beer is the crossroad of utmost exchange of cultural heritage. No better place for Kordura Coleman's sculpture, which is located in the Twin Cities’ first Latin-inspired brewery, La Dona Cerveceria. This artwork titled La Dona acknowledges the deep cultural roots between the Latino and Minnesotan culture through beer (my favorite thing). This brilliant sculpture is a reminder of the rich cultural heritage of beer throughout history as Coleman's La Dona is a sculpture of a woman dressed with the Dia de los Muertos ("Day of the Dead"), also called Catrinas.
Picture by Liam James Doyle (Star Tribune)
The craft beer business in the United States seems to be predominately white, but the well-known German drinking culture is only one page of this rich history, in fact, the first recipe ever found of beer was quite far in time and place. Back in the 18th century B.C., a Sumerian song called The Hymn to Ninkasi, reminds us to start the fermentation by flowing water to "when you pour out the filtered beer of the collector vat, it is [like] the onrush of Tigris and Euphrates." Thousands of years after, a 25-year old George Washington writes a beer recipe in his notebook. The priority of European immigrant clearly shows that the first two buildings to be built in every city was a church and a brewery -my speculation. Being an immigrant myself, I remember these hot days of summer spent in dozens of breweries in Santiago, Chile, where the Michelada (a Mexican recipe that combined our German-style beer with spices and tomato juice) was the most popular drink.
Kordura Coleman's work with clay addresses the shape and expression of the human body. Poses, gestures, and clothing narrate a story for us. La Dona portraits a legacy of intercultural exchange. On Coleman's website, she describes this process as "hard and nerve-wracking at times and physically very demanding."
This piece of art was originally commissioned by
La Dona Cerveceria. Being unaware of the specific reason why they chose Kordura Coleman to make this sculpture, I can imagine some motives. To start with, Kordura Coleman's work and figures are very expressive and natural. Given that
Catrinas are motives of celebration, to have such kind of skills, were for sure important for the project. It's also important to see the role of the installation in the place as it's staged at the very center of the taproom and is the first thing you see as it is also next to the bar. To use the theme of death in such a way that invites you to celebrate life is not that easy. However, Coleman's sculpture arises from the role of the host welcoming you to cheer for culture and mixed heritage.
It's also worth mentioning that the nowadays image we know as Catrina is the result of the rich Mexican heritage and arts that Coleman's work celebrates. While there was an Aztec queen called Chicunamictlan, the original Catrina was created by the Mexican Illustrator, Jose Guadalupe Posada in 1910. The meaning behind the skulls was to remark that we are all equal to death regardless of our class, race, or family, and the clothes are a reference to the high-society obsession with European customs and dresses at the time in despise of the local culture. Taken that into account, why would you have a Catrina in a craft beer bar? There is more history behind it.
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| More information at the National Geographic's website |
Some years later, the work of Posada was recaptured by the great muralist-artist, Diego Rivera. Rivera's painting portraits the Catrina in the middle of his mural, surrounded by the protagonists of Mexican history, including Frida Kahlo. Somehow, Diego Rivera took this political satire and place it in the center of the Mexican culture. Then, a few decades after, the catrina became associated with the Day of the Dead through the work of another sculptor, the great Juan Torres Caldero. His clay sculptures of catrinas became broadly popular in the Mexican 80s, to the point in which it was hardly found a corner without one of his sculptures reminding us about the amazing Mexican culture and its symbols.
While the meaning of Catrinas has changed throughout history, it's undeniable that there is a common root in this story. Having our own Catrina hosting our local venue may remind us about the importance of intercultural dialogue and meaning. Coleman's work was a great portrayal of this inheritance as her Catrina looks natural and human, less a God than a person, welcoming us to take a seat and order our favorite beer.
Kordura Coleman is a german born sculpture located in the Northeast "Art" district of Minneapolis, MN. More information can be found on Coleman’s website: http://www.kordulacolemansculptures.com/. La Dona Cerveceria is located at 241 Fremont Avenue N., Minneapolis, MN 55404, and their website is: https://dameladona.com/
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