fibre-art, weaving, textile
fibre-art
weaving
textile
geometric pattern
abstract pattern
organic pattern
geometric
pattern repetition
layered pattern
indigenous-americas
Dimensions 43 1/2 x 36 1/4 in. (110.5 x 92.1 cm) (irregular)
This bold mantle, made by a Quechua artist, probably involved a backstrap loom and a whole lot of time, experimentation, and intuition. I can imagine the artist thinking through each line, each color choice, and how it will all come together. The deep brown field feels earthy, solid, while the red and yellow edges vibrate with life. The central band, patterned with figures, hints at stories, beliefs, maybe even a little gossip. It’s not just decoration, it’s alive. Making this piece feels like having a conversation across generations, repeating patterns that are deeply rooted while adding your own spin, and in that way, it’s not so different from what I do in my paintings. Art is one big, ongoing chat.
Comments
Worn by both men and women, mantles have a long history of providing extra warmth in the Andean highlands. Still popular today among Quechua women, mantles continue to convey long-standing symbols of gender and rank. Women wear the mantle across their back, draping it over their shoulders like a shawl. They fasten it together in the front using a pin called a tupu—itself a symbol of status and prestige. While mantle sizes typically vary by region, their construction is fairly consistent. Mantles are woven in two separate pieces, and when joined together, the completed garment contains wide patterned stripes across a solid-color background. When draped across the back, the stripes appear horizontally, a distinctly feminine style.
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