Mexican Tin Nichos
Traditional metal working in Mexico dates from the Mesoamerican period. It continues to flourish as an art form today with tin mirror frames, Milagros (religious folk charms), Retablos (devotional paintings using iconography from traditional Catholic church art), and Tin Nichos. Third and Fourth Graders focused on the Tin Nichos which are adaptations of Roman Catholic Retablos but smaller and built in a shadow box style. They can include hinged doors, carved borders, and multiple panels. The Nichos are decorated with images and objects from religious and popular culture, including depictions of the Virgin Mary, saints, figures from Dia de los Muertos, and folk heroes. Students first designed their metal border, learning how to work it from both the front and the back to create a relief effect, then decorating it with bright colors. The finale was creating our own little shadow boxes (thank you for sending in all those Altoid boxes!!), filling them with drawings, glitter, shells, flowers, and more!
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