TEXTILE TALES of Olga de Amaral

The Columbian artist has a big retrospective at 'The Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain' and it made me want to dig a little deeper.

‘Her work contains layers of intimate emotion and wisdom abstractedly intertwined with inspiration from Colombia’s artisanal culture and generous landscapes, pre-Colombian textiles, Indian basketry, gold artifacts, mathematics, and geometry.’*

From what I have seen from her work there are these 3D hanging forms (above) which feature strong geometric shapes and blocks of colour…and then the large scale, (slightly) flatter pieces below. I love seeing her next to the work to give a better idea of the scale.

And then there’s the GOLD works!!

I was so curious about them - the textures are so amazing! Here’s her explaining a bit more about her process:

“Weaving linen and cotton together creates the perfect surface: a clay-like cloth that is the basis of the strips which are, in turn, the cornerstone of my work. I have always thought about them as a way of making the thin, elemental thread, much larger and more visible.”**

Ahh there’s so much I don’t even know what to pick. There’s a definite style and visual language but also a big variety - and with a career spanning over 60 years there’s just an amazing amount of work to explore.

If anyone is in Paris between now and 16th and March - I’m sure it is an incredible exhibition: https://www.fondationcartier.com/en/exhibitions/olga-de-amaral I hope I get to see it in person.

*https://www.nhgaleria.com/olga-de-amaral

**https://plinth.uk.com/blogs/magazine/striking-gold-with-olga-de-amaral

PS. Sorry the work here isn’t properly labeled and dated. xxx

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!