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The Mexican Crime Epidemic and Folk Art Connection - American Art Dealers Caught in the Crossfire
The Mexican Crime Epidemic and Folk Art Connection - American Art Dealers Caught in the Crossfire
It's no secret to anyone today that drug related crime has spiked up drastically in recent years along the border regions of northern Mexico.
Long Beach,
CA,
United States of America
(prbd.net)
05/04/2010
It's no secret to anyone today that drug related crime has spiked up drastically in recent years along the border regions of northern Mexico. However; what many people are entirely unaware of, is the effect that it's having on legitimate businesses and industries in the area. Mexican folk art, in particular.
The areas surrounding Ciudad Juarez have for decades been the central focal point of a resurgence in Mata Ortiz Pottery. Unfortunately today, both the artists and the dealers who import their works, have found themselves operating in a war zone. A fact that can't be denied.
So then just what is the net overall effect on prices if any? Has the heightened spector of danger had any visible effects on the quality and quantity of art that's being produced and imported? Also what's it all mean for today's art investors?
To gain some valuable insight, I recently spoke to a man who's been in the business since the early eighties. His name is John Murray, proprietor of solmarimports.com. A web based art gallery that specializes exclusively in Mata Ortiz pottery and Oaxaca wood carvings.
In a recent phone interview, he was willing to offer his unique first hand perspective. Not just where things are at the present time, but also where he sees things going in the future. It's a sobering assessment that doesn't bode well for the producers but none the less, predicts higher profits for today's investors.
“Of course it's had a effect on the way that I personally do business and an even more far reaching effect on the artist who have to live in the areas surrounding Ciudad Juarez” “No one is safe any more and most particularly people who have to deal in cash down there”. This would include myself, the artists and their families”.
“Of course in business an enhanced level of risk to ones personal safety would always bring with it an increase in prices”. “It's just the way that things work in any type of industry”. “Even so, the quality of the pieces that I'm seeing this year, is still at the same high level”.
“My concerns however, are for the Oaxaca wood carvings”. They're my biggest selling line and while the violence hasn't yet effected Southern Mexico and Oaxaca in the way that is has in the north, it is gradually spreading that direction”.
He went on to explain that while these unique indigenous wood carvings are still quite affordable, we could see as much a doubling of prices in the not too distant future if the cartels decide to shift their base of operations further south. A conservative estimate based on Mata Ortiz pottery price increases in recent years.
On a related note: The US State Department has just recently upgraded its long standing basic “travel warning”, to a “travel alert”, due to a recent spate of well publicized murders of US citizens in Mexico.
Contact:
John Murray
Company Name: Solmar Imports
Telephone Number: 562-207-8761
Web site address: http://www.solmarimports.com
About
http://www.solmarimports.com
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