tropel's artful 'los wixarika' collection integrates traditional mexican culture

tropel, headed by central saint martins graduate ana JP design, is a brand that intends on challenging and bridging perceptions of traditional mexican culture to contemporary art. in collaboration with talented wixarika artist, maurilio renteria, the ‘los wixarika’ collection is the embodiment of mexican culture meeting functional art. the series of artful furniture assumes surreal shapes, bold colors, and imbues its setting with humor.

the hikuri jewellery box’s shape comes from the peyote plant used in ceremonial acts by the wixarika community

tropel’s ‘los wixarika’ is an expression of the religious beliefs of the native community in the sierra madre occidental in mexico. the finishing applications of yarn and beads were guided by maurilio renteria’s religious iconography. the hikuri jewellery boxes were created by applying vibrantly colored beads into wax and resin, whereas the two maxa jewellery boxes were made by pressing yarn into wax and resin coated boards that feature antler-like arms and legs with hooves, representing the deer god of the wixarika religion.

the collection is made by pressing glass beads onto boards coated with wax and resin

the maxa jewellery box is a reflection of the deer god which is a very important pillar of the wixarika religion

a different color variation of the hikuri jewellery box

a different color variation of the maxa jewellery box

maurilio renteria applying yarn onto the designs 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynn chaya | designboom