Jarrito De Tonala

Completely hand-fabricated from copper sheet, this fully functional mug was formed using anticlastic, synclastic, and spiculum techniques. The piece reinterprets the traditional jarrito de Tonalá, a vessel I grew up seeing stacked in abundance at flea markets—each one handmade from clay.

This work is rooted in the craftsmanship of my homeland in Mexico, where artisanal practices continue to thrive across generations. In Mexican culture, there is a saying: “eres delicado como un jarrito de Tonalá” (“you are as delicate as a jarrito de Tonalá”), referencing the fragility of these clay mugs. My mother often said this to me.

By recreating a traditionally fragile object in copper—an enduring, unbreakable material—I sought to create a deliberate juxtaposition between delicacy and strength.