Nawitlanpa Teotl
Essence of Four Directions/ Esencia de Cuatro Rumbos
By PAZ ( Mapitzmitl) and Crystal Xochitl Zamora
In this immersive art experience created in collaboration between PAZ and his daughter Crystal, dancers made of energy and light perform an invocation to the 4 directions.
Within Mexikayotl ( Mexika-Chichimeka tradition) an invocation to Nawitlanpa Chanekeh (The guardians of the four cardinal directions) precedes most any ritual ceremony whether private or public. The energetic intent of this invocation is to acknowledge the presence of and the desire to interface with the non ordinary aspects of the world that are present albeit not generally recognized. The dance that is presented is a continuation of the relationship with the world that has been respectfully requested via the invocation. Nawi Olin (Four Movement) represents the manner in which we as humans move within the space/time continuum.
Moving into the world of Augmented Reality has been an enlightening experience for me as an artist. Expanding my understanding of how virtual art can interface with the the every day world of performance art has given me insight into the vast possibilities offered by this form of collaboration. It reinforces the idea that as artists we can and should constantly embrace growth, expansion and new creative process.
Explore the history with Valerie Rangel
Each site in the Ojos Differentes project was chosen in collaboration with Santa Fe City Historian Valerie Rangel, as an augmented reality expansion and collaboration with her GIS storymaps. Learn more about the Barrio of Analco by reading her essay below.
About Crystal & PAZ
PAZ is a native New Mexican of Indigenous and Hispanic ethnicity. His career has spanned five decades. He is an accomplished sculptor, painter, ceramic tile artist and jeweler. Throughout his career, PAZ has maintained a close relationship with the community. He enjoys teaching, whether mentoring youth or facilitating the artistic efforts of senior citizens. PAZ has sat on the boards of various nonprofit organizations dedicated to indigenous rights and preservation of indigenous culture. He is Tleyankanki or Guide of Kalpulli Ehecatl, an indigenous community focused on retribalization and cultural sharing. Internationally recognized and awarded, PAZ concentrated his artistic efforts on public art from 1996 through 2009. In 2009 he returned to his artistic roots as a master jeweler. In 2016, PAZ shifted emphasis back to public art. “Art is medicine; a person should walk away from a work of art feeling better than they did before they experienced it .”
Crystal Zamora was born into a family of artists and dancers. Born into the Mexica tradition, she was expected to learn the Indignenous dances of her ancestors and join her family's professional dance group. From there Crystal has gone on to study Flamenco, Salsa, and Hip-Hop. Her love of movement set her on a path to discover the study of human interaction. With a Major in Intercultural Communication and a minor in dance she is fully immersed in the way humans move through this world.