Thursday, October 30 through Tuesday, November 4, from 1:00 to 5:00 pm
Cuesta de San Jose #32, Colonia Azteca
Open House, no admission fee for the Mask Museum or Exhibitions
For more information, call 154-4324

Featuring over 600 Post-Colonial Masks, acquired during indigenous ceremonies. Mask collector Bill LeVasseur, who travels several times a year to ceremonies that go back hundreds of years, only displays masks that have been used in dances or rituals, making them living pieces of history as well as works of art. The Museum has photographs and video showing their use in performance.

Three Outstanding Artists
Exhibitions by Oaxacan master weaver Jacobo Mendoza, folkloric artist Blanca Gomez and special edition Day of the Dead jewelry by their creator, Maylen Pirsch. Another Face of Mexico Mask Museum is proud to host three friends for the exhibit. Jacobo Mendoza is a reknown Oaxacan rug weaver from Teotitlán del Valle, internationally known for his work with natural dyes and fine wools and recipient of many prestigious awards. Blanca Gomez hails from a long line of Oaxacan wood carvers and will exhibit and show her fanciful folk art. Mexican born Maylen Pirsch has been making unique, textile based jewelry for years and has created a special Day of the Dead line just for this occasion.

Owner and curator Bill LeVasseur says “this event is the highlight of our year, to give visitors the chance to meet these incredible artists, appreciate their work and of course, shop!” All the events are free.

The artsy culture of San Miguel permeates many of the city’s quirky museums. One prime example of the town’s imaginative culture is the folk art gallery, The Other Face of Mexico (La Otra Cara de México). The owners, American expats Heidi and Bill LeVasseur, curate an extensive collection of approximately 500 ceremonial masks that all together comprise an eclectic display. Indigenous textiles, handmade paper and traditional dolls can also be found throughout the gallery.

The LeVasseurs have traveled through Mexico in search of ceremonial masks for their gallery, and their effort doesn’t go unappreciated. Recent travelers rave about the vivid collection and agree that the owners bring a personal touch that other museums may lack. “Bill, the owner, is […] a wonderful source of the history and culture of Mexican masks,” one TripAdvisor reviewer said. “We thoroughly enjoyed his background lecture, and the experience of wandering around his museum was wonderful.”

Approximately half a mile northeast of El Jardin, The Other Face of Mexico is adjacent to the popular B&B co-owned by the LeVasseurs called La Casa de la Cuesta. Gallery visits are by appointment only and can be made by calling +52 (415) 154-4324.. For more information, visit the gallery’s website.