Yú Shnia

'Yú Shnia' or 'Red Clay'  is a documentary project, initiated in 2023, that expounds upon the migratory phenomenon through a distinctive narrative: the angle of the single mothers who wait, persevere and resist, reasserting an indigenous identity –the pottery as a way of life– that has long been socially marginalized, neglected and often displaced by the industrialization. In México, pottery as an art or a craft is not in jeopardy. But pottery as a way of life is. I seek to talk about migration from a feminist perspective, often forgotten, of struggle, union and empowerment among the wives, daughters and sisters of men who migrated.

This project accompanies the women of Emerenciana's family throughout the intricate process of crafting and selling their pottery. Within the crucible of shaping red clay, an intimacy emerges, birthing narratives of resilience, triumphs over adversity and empowerment. Emerenciana aspires to venture Northward. However, her aim no longer fixes on reuniting with her husband but on commercializing her artistry and then return to her community feeling proud of her work as an artisanal potter. #ongoingproject