Author: CTTC
Published: 27/03/2024
General News
April 2nd to April 30th 2024
Museo del Convento de Santo Domingo - Cusco, Peru
Step into a world where ancient traditions meet modern innovation, our new temporary exhibit invites you on a journey through the vibrant legacy of Andean textile artistry.
The captivating concept of A fear of Void, or the fear of empty space, offers a thoughtful lens through which we can appreciate the extravagant artwork of the pre-Columbian Nazca and Wari Cultures, evident in this vibrant showcase of the ancient textile technique Ticlla Watay, known as Wari Tie-dye in English. This millenary technique serves as a rainbow-colored testament to the cultural richness of Andean cultures, where textiles functioned as a unique language, playing pivotal roles in daily interactions, ceremonial practices, and the journey into the afterlife.
Celebrating Tradition and Innovation
Since 2021, amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco (CTTC) seized the opportunity presented by decreased textile demand to revitalize the seemingly extinct Ticlla Watay. Within the Sallac weaving association, the Watay or Ikat aspect, previously believed lost to Cusco, was skillfully preserved by a single elder and passed down to other members. This unique method involves tying resist areas into warps, dyeing them, and later weaving them into vibrant ikat-style-patterned cloth. Meanwhile, in Pitumarca, weavers were still practicing and perfecting the Ticlla technique—a discontinuous warp or scaffold weaving method that allows for intricate patterns within a single cloth without cutting the fiber.
Today, with the enthusiastic involvement of 10 weaving associations comprising approximately 250 weaving families, these ancient traditions are experiencing a renaissance. Artisans are faithfully replicating original pieces while injecting their own artistic flair, resulting in vibrant and colorful creations that honor the past while celebrating the present.
Cultures of Origen: Nazca (100 BCE – 600 CE) and Wari (600 CE – 1100 CE) Region: Southern Coast and Central-Southern Andes of Peru
CTTC is dedicated to the recovery and revitalization of ancestral textile techniques and traditions.The knowledge of ancestral textiles is an art inherited through several generations. A child learns textile practices from parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents. Providing motivation to continue to cherish these practices as he or she grows and ensuring a higher and sustainable quality of life through these practices is essential.
You can also empower and support traditional weavers through donations, purchases, and ethical tourism. Let´s keep the sustainable practice of ancestral textiles alive.