Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Manuel Urueta-borunda. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Manuel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

up to date my most meaningful project has been having the opportunity to exhibit my work right next to the great master jose guadalupe posada and all the amazing other artists in the collaborative exhibition . all thanks to the invite of my friend Elvia Rubalcava from the fullerton museum center in california. it was a great experience and honor to give a tribute of my work to him and all of his beautiful creations.

Manuel, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

i got into the arts because the arts got me since i remember, specifically paper mache thanks to my amazing high school teacher Barbara Antebi which i still talk to on instagram. she got me in paper mache and i was very curious about the masks and everything around me. i provide paper mache creatures with my brand call Xingaderas, it could be masks, figurines, specific orders (the more creative the better) , mojigangas ( giant puppets ) and anything you could imagine with paper mache. I use the traditional form of paper mache , which is the layering of paper covered with a mixture call engrudo ( water and flour ) ( every cartonero has its own way to create engrudo) but the traditional way is flour and water. i try to guide a way to express and to make conscience about the environment, trying to educate, reuse and recycle as much material as we can in our projects. i am proud of what we have accomplished and cant wait to have more cartoneros in this world ::))

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

society could give air, space and more attention to the power of the arts , just like the football games , the same church , but in the arts. its just a matter of being quiet, but only to listen.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

my mission is to share paper mache and try to help bring more cartoneros in the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: Xingaderas at instagram
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/xingaderas
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/xingaderasjrz

Image Credits
These photos were taken by celina Galicia and the photo of the mural by Jessica from love your block el paso