Arpilleras, yesterday and today. 14-15 Sept, London.

We are delighted to invite you to the Seminar, display and workshop “Arpilleras, today and yesterday” on the 14 and 15 of September in London.

Arpilleras are three-dimensional appliquéd tapestries of Latin America that originated in Chile. Arpilleras became popular when groups of women during Pinochet’s dictatorship in Chile were creating these pieces as a form of political and artistic language that allowed them to give testimony, work in community and hence get empowered; today they are valuable insights into the memory of those times and how they shape our present. These textiles also served as a way of coping with the atrocities and human rights violations that they, their families and society were suffering. This technique has spread widely and can be seen as a narrative tool of political resistance, protest, testimony, archive, and human rights protection in many countries.

For the 14th September seminar, we are bringing together academics and practitioners with expertise on arpilleras. At the seminar, speakers will discuss their work in connection with Conflict Textiles collection, and their archival relevance. The seminar will also highlight the arpillera technique and practice to bring to the fore contemporary political issues and to promote human rights.

There will be a display of key pieces from Conflict Textiles collection (collected and curated by Roberta Bacic) and from the Chilean arpilleras’ group Memorarte: Arpilleras Urbanas - Stitches against oblivion - on the 15th September. On this day, Memorarte: Arpilleras Urbanas will be facilitating two workshops (materials included) for those wanting to make arpilleras at 14:00 and 16:00 hrs. Spaces are limited and will be filled on a first come, first served basis.

Details of the event below and in the attached flyer. For more information, please contact: Paz Concha, p.m.concha@lse.ac.uk

Seminar
Arpilleras, yesterday and today. Thursday 14 September 2017 at 18:00 hrs
Location: London School of Economics, St Clements Building, room STC 219 “The Mackenzie Room”.

Speakers

Roberta Bacic “Arpilleras in the Conflict Textiles collection”
Elsie Doolan “Arpilleras as Archives: The Archival Importance of Textile Memories”
Erika Silva “Memorarte, stitching to influence”

Display
Memorarte: Arpilleras Urbanas “Stitches against oblivion”, Friday 15 September 2017 12:00 until 18:30 hrs.
Location: London School of Economics, St Clements Building, room STC 219 “The Mackenzie Room”.