Bernardo Modesto - prints and biography

Bernardo Modesto is a Mexican printmaker whose work is deeply rooted in the cultural traditions and daily life of rural Oaxaca. Born in the village of Zimatlán de Álvarez, Modesto draws sustained inspiration from Zapotec history, village customs, and especially the enduring presence of Tehuana women, who occupy a central role in the social and cultural life of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

Tehuana women are widely recognized for their strength, independence, and ceremonial dress, distinguished by elaborate floral embroidery and symbolic ornamentation. These visual traditions form a key foundation for Modesto’s artistic language. Through printmaking, he translates the textures, rhythms, and symbolic resonance of traditional embroidery into bold, graphic compositions that emphasize line, contrast, and structure.

Working primarily in linocut and related relief-print techniques, Modesto embraces the physicality of printmaking—the carving of the matrix, the resistance of material, and the expressive potential of black and white. His imagery often features frontal, iconic figures contained within oval or medallion-like forms, recalling devotional objects, pre-Columbian sculpture, and folk imagery. These figures are not portraits in a literal sense, but archetypal presences that suggest ancestry, protection, fertility, and collective memory.

While firmly grounded in regional tradition, Modesto’s work speaks to broader themes of resilience, identity, and the preservation of cultural heritage through contemporary artistic practice. His prints bridge past and present, honoring indigenous visual traditions while asserting their relevance within modern printmaking.