2019 AANY Sale: Hand (and Heart) Made Art

High-temperature handmade ceramics from Dzidzantún and branches that turn into animals or mythological creatures straight from the artist’s imagination are some of the pieces you’ll find at the annual sale AANY organizes which brings the creations of more than 60 artists from around the Península to the public. Find mermaids and Catrinas that used to be cardboard and paper, leather objects, textiles, jewelry, accessories, and much more. This event is a place that looks to rescue ancestral techniques and fair-trade practices.

Year after year, the association Amigos de los Artistas/Artesanos Nuevos de Yucatán (AANY) holds this event as a platform for artists to sell and promote their products. The personality of the work shines through (most pieces are unique and entirely handmade), bringing tradition and modernity together.

AANY emerged almost a decade ago as a non-profit association that focuses on showcasing handmade art and handcrafts in Yucatán. With the support of Joan Farrell and seven founding members, it continues to advocate for the consumption and appreciation of regional art under a vision of fair-trade in which buyers deal directly with artists.

At the exhibit and sale, you can meet each of the participating artists and artisans, talk with them about their inspiration or technique, and even order special designs. “Arte a Mano” is a space of artistic and cultural coexistence that is significant for both exhibitors and visitors; the former by earning income through sales, and the latter by taking home one-of-a-kind pieces. AANY is an opportunity to shop for gifts and personal or decorative pieces that are, as AANY’s motto says, “art for home and heart.”

This edition will feature creators from Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán. There will be 12 brands making jewelry made of silver, filigree, leather, wood, shell, and jicara. 13 artists exhibiting embroidered textiles and hammocks. In furniture and home décor made with metal, palm, blown glass, and vitrofusion, nine visionaries will present. There will also be eight brands showcasing decorative articles made of paper-mache, Lecs, ceramic, clay, and stone. For carved and polychromatic wood, also seven creators will be present, as well as six artists working with paper and natural fibers such as Henequén. (Check the participant directory)

The annual AANY sale is an excellent event where you can begin your search for fantastic and thoughtful gifts for the holiday season. It’s a forum unlike any other for design and art students, as well as for collectors, interior designers, architects, designers, and for the general public that wants to see more of the Peninsula’s talent up close. Don’t miss it!