At Balsa we love Mexico, its people, its culture, its traditions and its exuberant nature, that’s why we want to talk about Mexico and share with the world our love for this great country that inspires us every day.
Mexico has an invaluable wealth in its natural environment, and for this reason we wanted to pay tribute to a very brief selection of the most fragile and delicate fauna of the country.
Fauna is a collection of masks inspired by Mexican animals. At its launch we present El Mono Araña, El Ocelote and El Tapir, all threatened by human activity in their natural environment.
The Fauna masks were designed thinking about typical artisan processes of Tequisquiapan in central Mexico, using wicker and natural rattan, and developing together with the master craftsmen, new techniques and transformation processes that make Fauna a very special collection.
The manufacturing process of the Fauna masks is extensive and detailed, it requires small pieces that are individually molded, and the artisans use a kind of solid wood templates that serve as a guide to help in the drying process of the masks.
Once the pieces are dry, each of the parts are assembled, and then fully lined with natural rattan shell.
When the masks are lined in rat shell, the artisans burn them with fire to eliminate small fibers that arise throughout the process.
Click in the image below for more detailed info on each mask.
If you want to know more about El Tapir, El Ocelote y el Mono Araña, and how you can protect them or make donations, you can visit the following links to NGOs and official documents of the Government of Mexico.
Tapir:
- Programa de Acción para la Recuperación del Tapir (SEMARNAT).
- Bairds Tapir Survival Alliance.
- Proyecto Conservación del Tapir Andino.
Mono Araña
- Programa de Acción para la Recuperación del Tapir (SEMARNAT).
- Centro Mexicano de Rehabilitación de Primates A.C.
Ocelote
At Balsa believe in the immense value that our local environment has and the profound impact that our daily decisions can have on it. For this reason, from our beginnings we have promoted a conversation in favor of the preservation of material culture and local traditions.
In an effort to deepen and extend this message, we have decided to launch the Fauna Collection, and contribute to the conversation around the importance of preserving and protecting our natural environment and the species that are part of it.
The Fauna Collection is composed by a series of ornamental masks that represent three animals that inhabit Mexico and that are protected or in danger of extinction due to human activity: El Ocelote, El Mono Araña and El Tapir. Our intention is to gradually add more animal masks to the collection, expanding the message.
The Fauna Collection masks are made by hand, one by one, by artisans from central Mexico who are masters in the use of natural rattan molded with steam, using traditional techniques at risk of disappearing.
The manufacturing process of the Fauna masks is extensive and detailed, it requires small pieces that are individually molded, and the artisans use a kind of solid wood templates that serve as a guide to help in the drying process of the masks.
Once the pieces are dry, each of the parts are assembled, and then fully lined with natural rattan shell.
When the masks are lined in rat shell, the artisans burn them with fire to eliminate small fibers that arise throughout the process.
Click in the image below for more detailed info on each mask.
Ocelote
Mono Araña
Tapir
If you want to know more about El Tapir, El Ocelote y el Mono Araña, and how you can protect them or make donations, you can visit the following links to NGOs and official documents of the Government of Mexico.
Tapir:
- Programa de Acción para la Recuperación del Tapir (SEMARNAT).
- Bairds Tapir Survival Alliance.
- Proyecto Conservación del Tapir Andino.
Mono Araña
- Programa de Acción para la Recuperación del Tapir (SEMARNAT).
- Centro Mexicano de Rehabilitación de Primates A.C.
Ocelote
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