Markets and Cultural Voices: Liberty vs. Power in the Lives of Mexican Amate Painters

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In this intriguing and accessible book, Tyler Cowen explores the world of three amate artists, painting on paper made from the bark of trees from the mulberry family. Amate painting is an indigenous art form but one sold almost exclusively to wealthy North American art buyers or patrons. Cowen examines this cultural interaction between Mexico and the United States, showing how globalization shapes the lives and work of the artists and their families. He finds that, while the market for amate painting creates economic opportunities for the artists, it also has serious detrimental effects on the village.