FOOD & IDENTITY
Oaxaca
Murmur Ring curated a three-day immersion exploring Food and Identity in Oaxaca with an intimate group of designers, chefs, artists, and strategists. This immersion allowed participants to share tangible experiences to foster trust, strategic alignment, and collaboration.
One of the most diverse regions in the world, with over 400 villages and different political divisions, Oaxaca represents forty percent of the total political diversity in all of Mexico. The region has captured the interest of the global market particularly for its culinary and artistic contributions.
A global culture, yet one of the poorest regions in all of Mexico, Oaxaca represents two realities: the influx of new money and tourism and the indigenous communities residing mainly in the mountains that produce most of the food and goods distributed through the supply chain.
We partnered with local experts to show Oaxaca as a rich field site for understanding local ecosystems within the global marketplace.
“Experiencing this as an immersion versus how I usually travel changed how I will experience new places. I now know the difference between going somewhere and being immersed in a place.”
— Mike Sales, Design Strategist for Duke Energy Corporation’s
Digital Transformation and Innovation
Ceramicist Rodolfo Pérez and his family welcomed participants to his studio for a guided ritual and hands-on workshop.
His teacher, 95-year-old Amalia, was the last living potter in their village prior to Rodolfo becoming her apprentice. Now, he is passing on the hundreds of years old ceramic techniques to his wife and children.
“This is a good reminder for me of being mindful of what and how I can see things. Watching how much respect for tradition and hard work by them into everything. It really shows in the final product.”
— Jenny Gensterblum, Chef & Immersion Co-Host
Chef Rodolfo Castellanos led participants through a shopping trip in Oaxaca’s city center market - inviting us to explore new foods and make purchases along the way.
Together, we prepared a communal dinner under the guidance of Chef Rodolpho and his team from Origen. We invited our local partners to join us for the meal as a thank you for their generosity and hospitality.
We also travelled to San Martín Tilcajete to visit Almú and Lalocura.
First at Almú, an open-air restaurant situated within a farm, COO Ricardo Ángeles joined us for breakfast to discuss his family’s legacy of artmaking and agriculture.
We closed the day at Lalocura, a mezcal farm and production company committed to sustainable production and the preservation of indigenous practices.
Oaxaca represents two realities: the influx of new money and tourism and the Indigenous communities that produce most of the food and goods distributed through the supply chain.
IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE FOOD AND ART OF OAXACA THIS FEBRUARY WITH MURMUR RING’S CURATED TOUR
Colossal, 13 December 2022
In such a digitally connected world, there is a deep need to experience things in real life, to touch things, interact, see things, and exchange ideas in the tangible world.
A OAXACA IMMERSION - FOOD & IDENTITY IN OAXACA
Society for Experiential Graphic Designs, December 2022
CREDITS
JENNY GENSTERBLUM
Chef & Co-Host
MAURO FRANCISCO SARABIA GARCIA
Translator
DYLAN CHANDLER
Photographer
JACKIE TREZZO
Photographer
CARLOS JAVIER ORTIZ
Filmmaker
ALEJANDRA GARZA MONTES
Founder, Biohucal - Local Partner
JAIME RUÍZ MARTÍNEZ
Artist - Local Partner
NIKI NAKAZAWA
Founder, Neta Spirits - Local Partner
RODOLFO CASTELLANOS
Chef Owner, Origen - Local Partner
EDUARDO ÁNGELES
Maestro, Lalocura - Local Partner
KYNTHZIA BARRERA
Founder, 1050 Grados - Local Partner
RICARDO ÁNGELES
COO, Almú - Local Partner
RAME CUEN
Owner, Cuen Gallery - Local Partner
RODRIGO AMAURY
Chef Founder, Nois - Local Partner