Material Index : OAXACA
Material Index: Oaxaca is a self-initiated venture centered on responsible craft production and collaboration with artisan communities in Oaxaca, Mexico. The project engages traditional practices and local entrepreneurship through a non-commercial, process-led approach focused on material specificity and shared making.
Initiated in 2019, the project involved direct engagement with artisan communities across Oaxaca to explore localized approaches to craft. Through field research and informal collaboration, it examined how traditional techniques and material processes adapt within contemporary contexts. The work prioritized experimentation, narrative, and regional nuance over product uniformity or market-driven outcomes.
The project included short-term apprenticeships with two family-run workshops: one focused on foot-pedal shuttle loom weaving, the other on barro negro black clay ceramics.
The project resulted in a small series of one-off objects and visual documentation, capturing both process and place. It served as an early study in designing alongside living craft practices—foregrounding flexibility, imperfection, and context as guiding principles for responsible production.
Self-initiated venture
0191130
Twelve Weeks
Fieldwork, Social enterprise development, Responsible craft production