Uruguayan Crafts

Description

Although Uruguay does not have a great historical tradition of craftsmanship as in other Latin American countries that have centuries of craft tradition and an indigenous culture that precedes them, Uruguayan craftsmanship has an added value that does not involve imitating a pre-Columbian or ancient design, but rather through a study of the raw materials that are used, the elements that are revalued and the design process that is included. This makes the product stand out for its added value and for the creative search that the product itself expresses, generating its own artisanal identity.

The artisans make their products using noble raw materials found in our immediate environment, such as leather, wood, guampa, mate gourd, precious stones such as agates and amethyst, ceramics, etc.

Crafts can be classified into two groups: utilitarian and artistic.

The utilitarian ones are the crafts for personal use: mates, bocas, materas (traditional elements of the Uruguayans and the River Plate), jewelry, belts, wallets, elements for barbecue grills, ceramic tableware, etc.

Artistic crafts are those that have a strong Uruguayan identity and are generally bought to take as gifts: ornaments, replicas of native animals in ceramic or sheep wool, etc.

Therefore, we can say that Uruguayan artisans produce high quality pieces, either with traditional techniques or innovative design, generating sustainable development and promoting the characteristic values ​​of the Uruguayan identity. These generated pieces have an urban-contemporary character, the result of mixing craftsmanship, design, art and traditional techniques.

EnglishUruguayan Handicrafts

Although Uruguay does not have a great historical tradition of handicrafts as in other Latin American countries that have centuries of handicraft tradition and an indigenous culture that precedes them, Uruguayan handicrafts have an added value that does not come from imitating a pre-Columbian or ancient design, but from a study of the raw materials used, the elements that are revalued and the design process that is included in them. This makes the product stand out for its added value and for the creative search that the product itself expresses, generating a craft identity of its own.

The artisans make their products using noble raw materials found in our immediate environment, such as leather, wood, "guampa", gourd, precious stones such as agate and amethyst, ceramics, etc.

Crafts can be classified into two groups: utilitarian and artistic. Utilitarian handicrafts are those for personal use: "mates", "bombillas", "materas" (traditional Uruguayan and Rioplatense items), jewelery, belts, wallets, barbecue grill items, ceramic tableware, etc. Artistic handicrafts are those that have a strong Uruguayan identity and are generally bought as gifts: ornaments, replicas of native animals in ceramic or sheep's wool.

Therefore, we can say that Uruguayan craftsmen and craftswomen produce high-quality pieces, both with traditional techniques and innovative design, generating sustainable development and promoting the characteristic values ​​of Uruguayan identity. These pieces have an urban-contemporary character, the result of mixing craftsmanship, design, art and traditional techniques.