Maruch Santíz Gómez was born in the village of Cruzton, San Juan Chamula, Chiapas, Mexico, in 1975. She is a photographer, writer, weaver, textile designer, actress, and farmer, and identifies as part of the ethnic group Tzotzil Maya.
Through her photography, Maruch strives to preserve and acknowledge the Tzotzil cosmology and symbology learned by her ancestors.
Her minimalist aesthetic explores and depicts multiple aspects of the Tzotzil culture, capturing myths and beliefs that explain her community’s natural and social behaviors. Her artistic style is evident within the composition, frame, and lighting of her photographs. Her work showing practical objects related to everyday life mirrors the traditions of understanding the environment, landscapes and surroundings of her culture.
Maruch Santíz Gómez, Aguja
Maruch Santíz Gómez, Metate
“Our native language is the path to preserving the knowledge of our communities, art, and oral traditions. This is the knowledge we inherited from our elders and it is expressed visually through the daily practice of making our clothing and accessories, their design, colors, materials, and textures. These processes and elements are necessary in acknowledging and honoring our ancestors, whom we consider the first peoples. They built the path that gave us the foundation to maintain our identity.”
Portrait of the artist by Humberto Tachiquin Benito
Not only has Maruch exhibited her work in galleries and museums in Mexico City, but also internationally in the United States, England, Germany, Spain, Holland, Switzerland and Taiwan. Her work is featured in multiple national and international public collections including Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Spain.
In 1998 Maruch was named the indigenous revelation of the end of the century, and gained international recognition after her participation in the 1995 Johannesburg Biennial.
This exhibit is presented by Artes de Mexico en Utah and sponsored by the National Museum of Mexican Art and the Mexican Cultural Arts Alliance.
