How does the Peruvian art of carving gourds work?
Some artisans even use a burning technique, called quemado, to incorporate varying shades of brown to the art. They may also use the process called fondo negro to create black backgrounds on the carved gourds using fat and straw ash. The Canto sisters use small engraving tools to create each design by hand.
How are gourds used to tell a story?
However, carved gourds incorporate more than just visual storytelling as the textural qualities of the gourd offer a new perspective to understanding the story itself. The gourds are brought to Cochas from traveling merchants, and after a gourd is skinned, cleaned and dried, artists can begin carving to create a three-dimensional design.
What kind of ash is used to make a gourd?
Eulogio Medina Sanabria holds a gourd after rubbing straw ash and fat, called “fondo negro”, to add black to the engraving. (Photographs by Joshua Eli Cogan, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archive) Eulogio Medina Sanabria’s hands after rubbing straw ash and fat to a gourd. (Photographs by Joshua Eli Cogan, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archive)
Some artisans even use a burning technique, called quemado, to incorporate varying shades of brown to the art. They may also use the process called fondo negro to create black backgrounds on the carved gourds using fat and straw ash. The Canto sisters use small engraving tools to create each design by hand.
However, carved gourds incorporate more than just visual storytelling as the textural qualities of the gourd offer a new perspective to understanding the story itself. The gourds are brought to Cochas from traveling merchants, and after a gourd is skinned, cleaned and dried, artists can begin carving to create a three-dimensional design.
Eulogio Medina Sanabria holds a gourd after rubbing straw ash and fat, called “fondo negro”, to add black to the engraving. (Photographs by Joshua Eli Cogan, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archive) Eulogio Medina Sanabria’s hands after rubbing straw ash and fat to a gourd. (Photographs by Joshua Eli Cogan, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archive)
