Juan H. Betancourt

Müta

Horn sculptor

©PilarCastroE

The human scale of horn sculpting

Juan is ensuring the survival of a very old tradition
His father taught him this craft
His pieces are utilitarian

Born in Santiago de Chile in 1954, Juan H. Betancourt is the second generation of ox horn artisans. Juan learned the craft as a child when his father worked on chicheros horn, making cups to be used to drink chicha, a very popular drink in South America. Juan has been making pressed horn combs since the late 1990s. In 2008 he won the UNESCO Seal of Excellence Award for Craftsmanship. He has participated in fairs and events such as the Biennial Révélations Grand Palais in Paris. Ox horn has been used in Chile to make instruments and pieces since ancient times. "This craft is endangered by both national and global industrialisation, in addition to the scarcity of raw materials," says Juan, who recommends patience and perseverance to the younger ones.

Interview

©PilarCastroE

©PilarCastroE

Could you share something about horn as a material and its use today?: Working in ox horn is an ancestral practice that goes back to family traditions. The techniques are very ancient. They were used by our ancestors who made fishing and hunting utensils. Innovation is in the design of utilitarian tools today.
What do you specialise in?: I specialise in the creation of work tools for other artisans such as naveta for frivolete, crochet, sets of instruments for ceramic works and others. I also make tools for dentists, kinesiologists, hairdressers and cooks. I have a line of combs and another line of kitchenware: for the table, cutlery, cups and bowls.
What do you like most about your work?: It is the technique of transforming animal waste such as ox horn into something beautiful and useful. What I like most about my craft is the independence to create and design. And the vast number and variety of works that the material allows me to design.
What secrets does your craft keep?: Where I source the material. The horn I use is a waste material, but many people think that it is taken from a live animal.

Juan H. Betancourt is a master artisan: he began his career in 1998 and he started teaching in 2016