Cerámica de Guaitil y San Vicente, Costa Rica. Expresión de un arte popular

Introduction: This paper examines the ceramic design in Guaitil and San Vicente, Costa Rica, with the purpose of exploring this folk art from the perspectives of Aesthetics and Political Philosophy. Objective: It analyzes this folk art in the ceramic production of the-se communities from Guanacaste by studying three aspects: the ceramist’s training, the re-lationship with technology, and the role of the market. Methods: The ethnographic method and the technique of open conversations were used to collect qualitative data from local ceramists. Results: A tension was identified between the economic need to commercialize tradition and local resistance to external criteria. Although the communities have adapted their art to market demands, their lack of creative autonomy persists. Conclusions: Folk art in both regions is influenced by external pressures, lacking a critical stance. The need for governmental support is highlighted to promote a more autonomous form of art, free from external limitations, while new questions arise regarding the relationship between folk art, the market, and the equity in its commercial projection