May 1st marks the beginning of Expo Milan, a universal exhibition which, this year, will have an emphasis on food production, and will feature the participation of 145 countries. A fortnight from its inauguration, Foreign Minister, Heraldo Muñoz, met today with featured artisans presenting their work in the Chilean Pavilion.
The Secretary of State observed some of the works to be exhibited and stated that although the focus of this global event is food, it is also important to give space to Chilean artisanal creations. “The artisans of Chile are those that best represent our identity, our diversity and our cultural heritage,” he said.
Along with the works, six representatives of the Chile Artisanship Foundation will travel to Italy to participate in the exhibition and workshops. “This is important because we will show the world who we are. We are diverse, we are different cultures that coexist and represent the wealth of our country,” said the Minister.
One of the artists who will go to Milan is the Mapuche master carver, Antonio Paillafil, who a few months ago sculpted two chemamull, statues of Mapuche wood that were installed in the exhibition hall of the Foreign Ministry in order to showcase the cultural heritage of indigenous peoples to visiting world authorities. “We are Mapuche culture, we are Diaguita culture and we are the diversity that makes up our country,” said the Minister.
The beautiful creations in basket weaving with reeds by Marta Godoy Castillo also form part of the exhibition. “It is the first time our pieces will leave the country. It is a tremendous honour that our works are at a big event,” she said.
Lorenzo Constans, Chilean Commissioner for Expo Milan 2015, said “it is a great opportunity for us to show at such an interesting market, a country of great culture such as Italy, and to show what the Chilean artisans create.”
The pavilion that will represent our country in Milan Expo is named “El Amor de Chile” (“The Love of Chile”), in honor of a poem by Raúl Zurita. It is built entirely of pine wood and has an area of 2,000 square meters. According to Foreign Minister Muñoz, who will attend the opening of the exhibition on May 1st, it is estimated that about 20 million people will visit during the six month duration of the fair.