Europeans are getting a chance to see the unique Volkswagen Sedan decorated with thousands of tiny beads by Huichol Indians from Jalisco and Nayarit.
The “Volchol,” as it is referred to, has just finished a spell on exhibit at the Musé du quai Branly in Paris, France and Belgium’s Musées Royaux des Beaux Arts.
This week, the car moved on to Autostadt, the visitor attraction adjacent to the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg, Germany, where no doubt it will be greeted with much acclaim.Huichol craftsmen completed the car in November 2010 after six months of meticulous labor.
The first part of the beading work was carried out at Guadalajara’s Museo de Artes Populares and the Cabañas Cultural Institute. The car was then taken to Nayarit and later Mexico City for completion.
After touring several Mexican cities, the Volchol was displayed in San Diego, Washington and Denver in the United States.
Volchol is a hybrid word deriving from vocho (a slang expression for a VW sedan) and Huichol.
The project has received support from the Asociacion de Amigos del Museo de Arte Popular in Mexico City.
The original plan is to eventually auction the vehicle to raise funds to open a space in Mexico City where Huichol crafts can be exhibited and sold.
The car’s designs incorporate a representation of the four basic elements, as well as Mexico’s multi-colored corn.