SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE 4 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Tricontinental Craft Fair concluded this Sunday after nine days of operation, attracting a record number of approximately 40,000 visitors.
A total of 250 exhibitors participated, including 72 artisans from the Canary Islands and 150 who journeyed to Tenerife, 40 of whom were from Portugal.
The decor, designed by Santi Castro, featured designs inspired by Portuguese mosaics, created using artisanal fabric techniques on methacrylate, enhancing the entire venue. Meanwhile, Daniel Pages crafted the impressions of the guest stands.
Moreover, the event offered a comprehensive educational programme with over 30 workshops and eight masterclasses, as mentioned in a statement by the Cabildo.
Efraín Medina, the Minister of Employment and Education, expressed his delight at the enthusiastic reception of the fair and acknowledged the efforts of the entire team behind its success.
“This has been an exceptional fair, thanks to the collaborative work of many individuals who transformed the island into a global crafts hub for nine days,” he remarked.
He further noted that Tenerife not only experienced a fair of quality, joy, and sensory delight but also successfully achieved its primary goal of fostering connections among artisans from diverse regions of the world, impacting economic development and preserving artisan traditions.
“We feel immensely pleased not only due to the high visitor numbers but also because the artisans reported favourable sales results,” he added.
Over the years, the Tricontinental Crafts Fair has become a cultural bridge linking communities from Latin America, Africa, and southern Europe, serving as a platform for promoting and sharing craft events across the Atlantic.
The substantial participation of artisans from different backgrounds, the wide array of products and techniques showcased, and the warm public response have established it as one of the most significant and beloved events in the regional fair calendar, representing the largest concentration for the sale of international crafts in Spain.
The exhibitors included eminent professionals and artists from regional, national, and international backgrounds.
ALTARPIECES
These craftsmen are dedicated to textile design originating from the Tzotzil community in Magdalena Aldama, Chiapas (Mexico), as well as crafting with carved Copal wood, creating altarpieces, artisanal jewellery, and many other trades.
Portugal, as the main country represented, showcased a rich variety of artisanal productions, such as ceramics and tiles that adorn the principal facades, alongside carpets and tapestries, leather goods, embroidery, wood carving, jewellery, scale work, and pottery.
Canarian craftsmanship was prominently displayed with artisans from all the islands, particularly Tenerife, which hosted the event. Some showcased trades included ceramics, soap making, openwork, pottery, rosettes, ceremonial items, doll making, jewellery, basket weaving, cutlery, enamelling, luthiery, wood turning, recycling of materials, weaving, as well as paper and cardboard crafts. Additionally, the fair featured institutional participation from councils that presented traditional crafts at risk of extinction, such as various forms of basketry and wool spinning.
AWARDS
Ecuadorian artisan Ricardo Villaba was honoured with the Ibero-American Crafts Museum Award.
Additionally, artisans Rodrigo Lizama from Chile and Jesús Hernández Torres from Mexico received the second and third prizes, respectively, while the award for best decoration at the Tricontinental Fair went to the ‘Traditional Textiles in Alpaca-Cuzco’ stand.
The competition included 75 entries displayed at a special stand located at the fair’s entrance.
Almost all participating countries submitted a unique piece for the occasion, with artisans hailing from Argentina, Turkey, Portugal, Ecuador, Paraguay, Mexico, and Peru, among others.
Crafts represented included jewellery, textiles, rosettes, wood and stone carvings, embroidery, toys, and various figurines, showcasing outstanding craftsmanship.
The prizes consisted of a first prize of 1,000 euros, a second prize of 600 euros, and a third prize of 400 euros.
The jury comprised specialists and notable figures in the crafts sector.
The panel was chaired by Minister Efraín Medina, along with Juan de la Cruz Rodriguez, a textile and traditional costume expert; Ageda Hernández Tarajano from the Fund for Ethnography and the Development of Canarian Crafts; and other distinguished members such as Elena Gutiérrez Lima, Krijer Lorenzo, Silvano Acosta, Ricardo Cologan, manager of the Insular Company of Crafts, and Milagros Amador from the Museum of Ibero-American Crafts of Tenerife.
The jury evaluated originality and innovation in the competing pieces, as well as aesthetic qualities, practical utility, quality, and design to reach their final decision.
Additionally, an award for the best decoration among the more than 200 stands at the fair, valued at 500 euros, was awarded to the ‘Traditional Textiles in Alpaca-Cuzco’ stand.
This award aims to commend the artisan’s creative efforts in assembling an appealing display for the showcase and sale of their products.
The judging panel also included Daniel Pages, Graciliano Díaz Rivero, Santiago Castro, Juan Carlos Armas, Antonia María Rodriguez Delgado, Isabel Méndez, and Juan Carlos Camacho.
The jury assessed the originality of the design, the materials employed, and how effectively the products served as an advertising showcase and promoted the artisan’s workshop.