Lecture on Tikitiki Art and Architecture

Introduction to Tikitiki Art

• Outdoor chapels served as the settings for religious gatherings
• Tikitiki art combines indigenous styles with strong Spanish influences
• Over 100,000 churches were built between 1530 and 1800
• Few friars managed to build and manage hundreds of churches and monasteries

Artisans and Construction

• Spanish priests were untrained architects
• Relied on indigenous artisans for stonework, murals, and sculpture
• Tikitiki artisans incorporated Western elements but retained indigenous styles

Themes and Imagery

• Artistic works depicted warriors and battle scenes
• Symbolism of good vs evil in religious contexts
• European and indigenous symbols often blended in art

Colonial Architecture Styles

• Various styles from the colonial period observed
• Renaissance and Baroque design elements arrived late to Mexico
• Plataresque style notable for ornate facades

Church of Saint Augustine at Akoman

• An example of Tikitiki art and architecture
• Church construction began in 1539, with the facade completed in 1560
• Location and materials sourced from nearby Pyramid of the Sun

Architectural Elements

• Plan view, section view, and elevation defined
• Elevation shows one wall structure from floor to ceiling
• Portal and sculptures like Saint Peter and Saint Paul indicative of syncretism

Sacred Symbols and Syncretism

• Atrial crosses in outdoor chapels blended Christian and indigenous elements
• Syncretism depicted through life-like and abstract imagery
• Iconography unique to Tikitiki culture includes flowers and sacred speech symbols

Frescoes and Murals

• Murals added later in the church's history
• Frescoes depicted scenes from the Last Judgment
• Influence of Western European prints evident in black and white frescoes

Conclusion

• Tikitiki art serves as a testament to the cultural blending during the colonial period
• Unique artistic expressions arose from merging Western and Indigenous influences