With art in hands: National Silver Contest of Peru

They work year after year welding each piece, ‘boxing’ and spinning very fine so that the masterpiece is ready. Dedicated work that they carry out from a kind of anonymity, it is their unique pieces and innate talent that speak for themselves. They are the silver artisans who have just been part of the twenty-sixth National Silver Contest of Peru organized by the Patronato Plata del Peru. There are 66 pieces that have been part of this selection. They have their origin in Ayacucho, Cusco, Piura, Ica and Lima. They have staged their best works to be admired and postulated in three categories: goldsmithing, filigree and jewelry.

the jackpot

The highest recognition Silver Patronage of Peru Awardthe piece took it “hive of dreams” by the artisan Amelia Yurivilca. Inspired by the spirals of bee hives, a source of life from nature portrayed with organic and amazing shapes. Amelia has been an artisan for 12 years and for her this trade is more than a job; it is her life and a way to vindicate her ancestors.

“I come from a family of weavers from San Pedro de Cajas, weaving is in my DNA. I was born in Huasahuasi, Tarma. It is the first time that I participate and obtain recognition and it has been an unforgettable experience. I have taught some weaving courses in silver thread and other materials. I have participated in co-authorship with the designer Roxi Castillo, an interior architect who has already won other awards”, he explains to us. The prize received is 15 thousand soles and 500 grams of silver, money with which she will continue working to continue improving herself.

Masterpieces

Another winner is Jaime Brousset, who won first place in jewelry. “I feel very excited, I didn’t think I would win; when they gave me the news, I was short of words; and well, there were several times that I participated and I have always been in fifth or sixth place”, she comments.

His masterpiece was called “Pisces”, inspired by his wife, his muse. “Inspiration is two fish; and I was inspired by my wife. It is a way of honoring her and women, because they are entrepreneurs, because next to every man there is always a woman who drives him “he expressed.

Brousset started at the age of 13 in his uncle’s workshop after a family tragedy. Eleven years later, he opened his own workshop. He has been in this trade for 42 years, which has given him joy, but he also comments that the authorities often do not see the value of this trade.

“Unfortunately, sometimes they think that the craftsman is the last wheel of the car and it is not like that, the craftsman knows many things, he is a prepared person because he has to know about metals, about chemicals. In my case, I have a degree in civil construction; that helped me a lot in the techniques that are worked on; In the end I didn’t exercise, but the degree allowed me to do my job better”, declares the craftsman.

Mauro Rodríguez is the craftsman who won first place in goldsmithing. He is 78 years old and has made this job his lifestyle. He has competed in this pageant for 20 years to leave a legacy. “I started at the age of 35 in silver, a product of my ancestors. My grandparents, my parents have worked in this art and perhaps it was this that pushed me to continue with this job and I take it with great pleasure. I have known all the techniques, I can work any technique that concerns silver“, He says. All of his children are professionals and thanks to this job he was able to pay for their studies.

Next year the contest will be held in Arequipa

The pandemic and the economic crisis hit the artisans

The pandemic and the economic crisis have not only hit restaurants, tourism or micro-entrepreneurs, but also our artisans. This year, the call for the National Silver Contest of Peru was able to gather 66 pieces compared to last year, in which 130 were presented. The national and world news would be the compelling reasons, according to Juan Assereto, president of the Silver Board of the Peru.

“We are used to having more participation, but this year it is understandable. The pandemic caught us. The country’s economic situation is not at the expected levels. Surely this is what has diminished our dear goldsmiths in this situation. We are lucky and determined to have persisted uninterruptedly during this time, we have done so despite… and in the years of the pandemic.”, Assereto explained.

He affirmed that this type of recognition at the national level is important so that the artisan can have an incentive to continue. “The quality of the parts is important because it follows the trend of constant and permanent improvement over the years. There is an incentive to the goldsmith that helps to improve the level of quality”, he comments.

The good news is that next year the contest will be held in the White City, hoping to have a larger call. “Next year we plan to hold the contest in Arequipa. Perumin, who just finished, will go back to his odd years and then we are going to bring our pieces to join the exhibition that year.or”, added the president of the board of trustees.

LOOK: In the mind of Virgilio Martínez

The history of the contest transcends the present. It occurs with the first creation of the patronage. Cecilia Bákula, organizer of the event and part of the jury, tells us about the beginnings. “The contest is the arm of the patronage, and this arose as a result of a concern of the engineer Alberto Benavides de la Quintana. From that moment, Juan Assereto took the post to organize this contest because the patronage is even older, it is approximately 32 years old.”, he specifies.

The patronage knocked on each of the artisans’ doors to investigate their technique, see their creations and publicize them. “When we started, there were 15 people who knew the watermark technique. This is a disappearing technique. Today there are almost 500 artists who practice it and within this technique a Peruvian way of working has been created, which is silver weaving. The silver thread is made manually. She processes it, laminates it, makes the threads the width of the hair and then crochets it. That is why Peruvian silver weaving is something extraordinary.”, maintained Cecilia Bákula.

knew that

• The National Silver Contest of Peru has been held since 1997. It has been running for 26 editions and has never stopped, despite circumstances such as the pandemic.
• The contest has four prizes: the first prize is 10 thousand soles with 500 grams of silver, the second prize is 5 thousand soles plus 500 grams of silver. And the third prize is 2,500 soles plus 500 grams of silver. And the biggest prize is the ‘Silver Patronage of Peru’ with 15 thousand soles plus 500 grams of silver.
• Many of the artisans have been applying since the contest began. The evaluation and results of the winners were given between October 13 and 14 at Interbank de Lince.
• The venue for the contest has been Lima for three consecutive years. Next year it will be held in Arequipa.
• The idea of ​​the organizers is to place Peruvian artisans in the spotlight. For this reason they have thought that in the next edition of Perumin the National Silver Contest of Peru will have a special space. Artisans will be able to show their art and talent.
• “Many think that the craftsman is the last wheel of the car; the craftsman is a prepared person”, said craftsman Jaime Brousset.
• “We (board) are going to take our pieces to join the Perumin exhibition”, pointed out the president of the Silver Board of Peru, Juan Assereto.

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