Latest news with #Mixtec
Business Upturn
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Upturn
Fine Ancient Art from the Prince Collection – Featuring the Guennol Grasshopper and Aztec Jaguar Mask
LONDON, July 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Following their successful June auction, Apollo Art Auctions is proud to present a remarkable selection of ancient art. The upcoming sale, featuring pieces with outstanding provenance, will go live on the 26th and 27th of July at 1 PM BST, both at their London showroom and online via LiveAuctioneers, Invaluable, The Saleroom, and Apollo's own auction platform. A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link. Advertisement Highlighting the sale on the 26th of July is a remarkable turquoise mosaic jaguar mask with circular dark eyes and prominent fangs. This one-of-a-kind piece, Aztec/Mixtec in origin, has never appeared at auction. The mask represents a jaguar, an animal believed to be spiritually equal to humans. The Aztecs were deeply spiritual, with strong religious beliefs and ritual practices. The god Tezcatlipoca, one of the creator deities and a god of war and conflict, was often associated with the jaguar. His jaguar form symbolized the night sky, with the animal's spots representing the stars. Turquoise, the stone used throughout the mask, was highly prized in Aztec culture, representing power, life, and spirituality. In an interview form the 16th century with an Aztec recorded by Franciscan Bernardino de Sahagún, teoxihuitl (turquoise) was described as 'the property, the lot, of the god.' Lot 50 – RARE AZTEC / MIXTEC TURQUOISE MOSAIC MASK OF A JAGUAR Date: Ca. AD 1400–1521 Size: 125mm x 120mm Weight: 535g Starting Bid: £100,000 Another standout piece, Lot 462, is an Egyptian vessel in the shape of a grasshopper, once owned by the famous archaeologist Howard Carter, best known for discovering the tomb of Tutankhamun. Carter played a key role in the early development of Egyptology. This grasshopper vessel is especially well known for being part of the same collection as the Guennol Lioness, which once held the record for the most expensive sculpture ever sold at Sotheby's. It has an impressive exhibition history, having been on public display from 1948 to 2002. It was shown at the Brooklyn Museum in the exhibition The Guennol Collection: Cabinet of Wonders, and at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1969. The piece has been published in several important academic works, including, The Brooklyn Museum Bulletin (Vol. X, No. 1, 1948, figs. 1–4, cover illustration), New Kingdom Art in Ancient Egypt During the Eighteenth Dynasty: 1590–1315 BC by Cyril Aldred (1951, No. 97) and A History of Technology, edited by C. Singer, E.J. Holmyard, and A.R. Hall. The vessel also has a strong and well-documented ownership history. Most recently, it was part of the Prince Collection (1990s–2014), and was acquired in 2007 from the Merrin Gallery, with the original purchase invoice included. Before that, it was held in the collections of Howard Carter, Joseph Brummer in New York, the Guennol Collection, and a private collection in the United States. Lot 462 – EGYPTIAN IVORY AND WOOD COSMETIC VESSEL IN THE FORM OF A GRASSHOPPER Date: Late 18th Dynasty, Ca. 1350–1340 BC Size: 21.9mm x 88mm Weight: 19.7g Starting Bid: £100,000 Auction Information 'Fine Ancient Art – The Prince Collection' sale will take place on the 26th and 27th of July at 1 PM BST. It will be held live at Apollo Art Auctions' Central London showroom (63–64 Margaret Street, W1W 8SW) and online via their auction platform. All lots will be available for preview by appointment only at the London showroom from the 22nd to 25th of July 2025, between 10 AM and 5 PM. All items are professionally handled by Apollo's white-glove team and prepared for secure in-house shipping. Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
eNCA
05-06-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Indigenous rights defender elected head of top Mexican court
Hugo Aguilar, an Indigenous rights defender and former advisor to Mexico's Zapatista guerrilla movement, won election to become the head of the country's Supreme Court, official results showed Thursday. The change in the key post, long reserved for elite jurists, follows unprecedented elections on Sunday in which Mexico became the first country in the world to choose judges at all levels at the ballot box. Aguilar, a constitutional law specialist and member of the Indigenous group Mixtec, is now one of the highest profile Indigenous leaders in Latin America. During his campaign, he proclaimed "it's our turn" and denounced the "exclusion and abandonment" of native peoples. Around 20 percent of Mexicans identify as Indigenous. Aguilar was a legal advisor to the now demobilized Zapatistas during negotiations with the government following an armed uprising in 1994. He has said Mexico's Indigenous peoples are owed a "a significant debt." Aguilar worked at the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples under President Claudia Sheinbaum's predecessor and mentor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador -- both of whom have criticized what they say is the elite's grip on the judiciary. The trailblazing judicial elections have been controversial in the Latin American nation. The overhaul was initiated by Lopez Obrador, who frequently clashed with the Supreme Court over whether his policy changes were unconstitutional Despite confusion and low turnout -- with only about 13 percent of eligible voters participating -- Sheinbaum declared the election a success. Her opponents, however, branded it a "farce" and warned it would consolidate the ruling party's power, as it already dominates both houses of Congress. The majority of Mexico's Supreme Court justices quit over the judicial reforms last year and declined to stand for election. Aguilar follows in the footsteps of Benito Juarez, Mexico's first Indigenous president who also led the Supreme Court from 1857 to 1858.
France 24
05-06-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Indigenous rights defender elected head of top Mexican court
The change in the key post, long reserved for elite jurists, follows unprecedented elections on Sunday in which Mexico became the first country in the world to choose judges at all levels at the ballot box. Aguilar, a constitutional law specialist and member of the Indigenous group Mixtec, is now one of the highest profile Indigenous leaders in Latin America. During his campaign, he proclaimed "it's our turn" and denounced the "exclusion and abandonment" of native peoples. Around 20 percent of Mexicans identify as Indigenous. Aguilar was a legal advisor to the now demobilized Zapatistas during negotiations with the government following an armed uprising in 1994. He has said Mexico's Indigenous peoples are owed a "a significant debt." Aguilar worked at the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples under President Claudia Sheinbaum's predecessor and mentor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador -- both of whom have criticized what they say is the elite's grip on the judiciary. The trailblazing judicial elections have been controversial in the Latin American nation. The overhaul was initiated by Lopez Obrador, who frequently clashed with the Supreme Court over whether his policy changes were unconstitutional Despite confusion and low turnout -- with only about 13 percent of eligible voters participating -- Sheinbaum declared the election a success. Her opponents, however, branded it a "farce" and warned it would consolidate the ruling party's power, as it already dominates both houses of Congress. The majority of Mexico's Supreme Court justices quit over the judicial reforms last year and declined to stand for election.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Indigenous rights defender elected head of top Mexican court
Hugo Aguilar, an Indigenous rights defender and former advisor to Mexico's Zapatista guerrilla movement, won election to become the head of the country's Supreme Court, official results showed Thursday. The change in the key post, long reserved for elite jurists, follows unprecedented elections on Sunday in which Mexico became the first country in the world to choose judges at all levels at the ballot box. Aguilar, a constitutional law specialist and member of the Indigenous group Mixtec, is now one of the highest profile Indigenous leaders in Latin America. During his campaign, he proclaimed "it's our turn" and denounced the "exclusion and abandonment" of native peoples. Around 20 percent of Mexicans identify as Indigenous. Aguilar was a legal advisor to the now demobilized Zapatistas during negotiations with the government following an armed uprising in 1994. He has said Mexico's Indigenous peoples are owed a "a significant debt." Aguilar worked at the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples under President Claudia Sheinbaum's predecessor and mentor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador -- both of whom have criticized what they say is the elite's grip on the judiciary. The trailblazing judicial elections have been controversial in the Latin American nation. The overhaul was initiated by Lopez Obrador, who frequently clashed with the Supreme Court over whether his policy changes were unconstitutional Despite confusion and low turnout -- with only about 13 percent of eligible voters participating -- Sheinbaum declared the election a success. Her opponents, however, branded it a "farce" and warned it would consolidate the ruling party's power, as it already dominates both houses of Congress. The majority of Mexico's Supreme Court justices quit over the judicial reforms last year and declined to stand for election. Aguilar follows in the footsteps of Benito Juarez, Mexico's first Indigenous president who also led the Supreme Court from 1857 to 1858. sem/mel/sms/bjt
The Hindu
05-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Election of Mexico's first indigenous supreme court justice in 170 years raises hope, scepticism
In his campaign for Mexico's Supreme Court, Hugo Aguilar sent a simple message: He would be the one to finally give Indigenous Mexicans a voice at one of the highest levels of government. 'It's our turn as Indigenous people... to make decisions in this country,' he said in the lead up to Sunday's (May 31, 2025) first judicial elections in Mexican history. Now, the 52-year-old Aguilar, a lawyer from the Mixtec people in Mexico's southern Oaxaca state, will be the first Indigenous Supreme Court justice in nearly 170 years in the Latin American nation, according to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. He could lead the High Court. The last Indigenous justice to do so was Mexican hero and former President Benito Juárez, who ran the court from 1857 to 1858. For some, Mr. Aguilar has become a symbol of hope for 23 million Indigenous people long on the forgotten fringes of Mexican society. But others fiercely criticize his past, and worry that instead of representing them, he will instead stand with the ruling party, Morena, that ushered him onto the court. Top vote getter in controversial contest Supporters cite Mr. Aguilar's long history of working on Indigenous rights, while critics say that more recently he's helped push the governing party's agenda, including former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's massive infrastructure projects, at the expense of Indigenous communities. Mr. Aguilar's team said he would not comment until after official results were confirmed. 'He's not an Indigenous candidate,' said Francisco López Bárcenas, a distinguished Mixtec lawyer from the same region as Mr. Aguilar, who once worked with him decades ago. He applauded the election of an Indigenous justice, but said, 'He's an Indigenous man who became a candidate.' Mr. Aguilar was elected in Mexico's first judicial election, a process that's been criticised as weakening Mexico's system of checks and balances. Mr. López Obrador and his party overhauled the judicial system the populist leader was long at odds. Instead of appointing judges through experience, voters elected judges to 2,600 federal, state and local positions. But the vote was marked by a very low voter turnout, about 13%. Mr. López Obrador and his successor and protege President Claudia Sheinbaum claimed the election would cut corruption in the courts. Judges, watchdogs and political opposition called it a blatant attempt to use the party's political popularity to stack courts in their favour, and gain control of all three branches of Mexico's government. While votes are still being counted in many races, the tally of results for nine Supreme Court justices came in first. The vast majority of the justices hold strong ties to the ruling party, handing Morena potential control over the high court. Mr. Aguilar's name was among those that appeared on pamphlets suggesting which candidates to vote for, which electoral authorities are investigating. A focus on Indigenous rights Mr. Aguilar scooped up more than 6 million votes, more than any other candidate, including three who currently serve on the Supreme Court. The victory opened the possibility of Mr. Aguilar not just serving on the court, but leading it. Critics attributed his win to Mexico's highly popular president repeatedly saying she wanted an Indigenous judge on the Supreme Court in the lead up to the election. On Wednesday (June 4, 2025) she said she was thrilled he was on the court. 'He is a very good lawyer,' she said. 'I have the privilege of knowing his work not just on Indigenous issues, but in general. He has wide knowledge and is a modest and simple man.' The Supreme Court has handed down decisions that, for example, establish the right of Indigenous people to be assisted by interpreters who speak their native language and defence attorneys in any legal process. But there remain significant outstanding issues like territorial disputes in cases of mega-projects. Mr. Aguilar began his career in Oaxaca's capital, working for SERmixe, an organization advocating for Indigenous rights as a law student in his mid-20s. Sofía Robles, a member of the organization remembers young Mr. Aguilar being passionate, choosing to be a lawyer to advocate for Indigenous communities often living in poverty and out of reach of the law. 'He had this conviction, and there were many things he wouldn't conform with,' 63-year-old Robles said. 'From the very beginning, he knew where he came from.' Despite coming from a humble working-class family, he would work for the organisation for free after his law classes. He later worked there as a lawyer on agrarian issues for 13 years. After the Zapatista uprising in 1994, a guerrilla movement fighting for Indigenous rights in southern Mexico, Mr. Aguilar worked to carry out constitutional reforms recognising the basic rights of Mexico's Indigenous people. Ms. Robles said she believes he will bring that fight she saw in him to the Supreme Court. 'He gives us hope,' she said. 'Aguilar is going to be an example for future generations.' Ties to governing party But others like Romel González Díaz, a member of the Xpujil Indigenous Council in a Mayan community in southern Mexico, cast doubt on if Mr. Aguilar would truly act as a voice for their community. Mr. Aguilar's work came under fire when he joined the government's National Institute of Indigenous Peoples at the beginning of Mr. López Obrador's administration in 2018. It was then that he began to work on a mega-project known as the Maya Train, fiercely criticised by environmentalists, Indigenous communities and even the United Nations. The train, which runs in a rough loop around the Yucatan peninsula, has deforested large swathes of jungle and irreversibly damaged an ancient cave system sacred to Indigenous populations there. Mr. Aguilar was tasked with investigating the potential impacts of the train, hearing the concerns of local Indigenous communities and informing them of the consequences. That was when Mr. González Díaz met Mr. Aguilar, who arrived with a handful of government officials, who sat down for just a few hours with his small community in Xpujil, and provided sparse details about the negative parts of the project. Mr. González Díaz's organisation was among many to take legal action against the government in an attempt to block train construction for not properly studying the project's impacts. The environmental destruction left in the project's wake is something that continues to fuel his distrust for Mr. Aguilar. 'The concern with Hugo is: Who is he going to represent?' González Díaz said. 'Is he going to represent the [Morena] party or is he going to represent the Indigenous people?'
