Nearly thirteen textile collections from eight Latin American countries, including Mexico, Guatemala, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Panama and Argentina, will be exhibited at Chile’s Centro Cultural Palacio de La Moneda from March 15, 2013, onwards.
The exhibition titled ‘Hilos de América, Textiles Originarios’ will feature over 380 pre-Columbian textile pieces belonging to the three indigenous cultures – Paracas, Nazca and Chancay – of the Central America, Andean World and South America.
The exhibition will highlight different aspects related to the featured clothing like the symbolism behind the attires, the indication of social status of the wearer, the traditional weaving techniques and the ritual importance of textiles in birth, marriage and death ceremonies.
Textiles made from vegetal fibres (Argentinean Chacao), feathers (Bolivian jungles) and the beautiful Mexican decorative embroidery will also be on display at the exposition.
The exhibits have been collected from various well-known art and textile museums, such as Museo Mapuche de Cañete, DIBAM, Chile, Museo de Artes Populares – MAPA, Universidad de Chile, Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, Museo Etnográfico Juan B. Ambrosetti, Argentina, Museo Nacional de Etnografía y Folklore – MUSEF, Bolivia, Museo La Merced, Chile, Museo Pumapungo, Ecuador, Museo Ixchel del Traje Indígena, Guatemala, Museo Nacional Arqueología y Etnología de Guatemala, Museo Nacional de las Culturas Populares de México, Embassy of Panama in Chile, Museo Nacional de Arqueología, Antropología e Historia del Perú and Museo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares del Instituto Riva-Agüero, Peru.
Other than the exhaustive display of textiles, the exhibition will also organize workshops on loom knitting and a special educative program on the Latin American indigenous people.
