Artist statement:
Through different textile processes such as weaving, knitting, embroidery and sewing, my work materially translates my reflections on identity, politics and philosophy. Making, as an act of resistance, is deeply rooted in my Chilean identity and my relationship to political textile art.
I am an advocate of the “Escuela del Sur” (school of the south), created by Uruguayan artist Joaquin Torres Garcia, in which he proposes we switch the map of South America and assert our own cultural identity in the art world.
“Nuestro Norte es el Sur”
“Our North is the South”
My Latin American artistic heritage is an essential part of my practice. “Arpilleras” in particular are at the core of my connection to textile art. This political and feminist art from Chile, has and continues to drive me through my practice. I choose to use traditional textile techniques to communicate contemporary themes such as political activism, philosophy and identity.
Much like the traditional “Arpilleristas” I consider my work to be a tool. The work is not only about the outcome and the message it carries, but about what happens around the making. I use repetitive and labour intensive techniques in order to create a physical and mental space for reflection. Thus every stitch is charged with the energy of the mechanical movements and the meditation that comes with them, in order to create installations that invite viewers to question with me.
Events like the recent loss of my Chilean legal status have oriented my research towards theories of cultural identity, citizenship, decolonization, racial capitalism and imperialism.