Thursday, 18 April 2024

Event Details

'Un corazón como el de todos / A heart like everyone else', Jhonatan/Edwin, 2019, ETCR Llano Grande, Dabeiba, Antioquia, Colombia. © (Des)tejiendo miradas. (Photo: Laura Coral Velazquez)

'Un corazón como el de todos / A heart like everyone else', Jhonatan/Edwin, 2019, ETCR Llano Grande, Dabeiba, Antioquia, Colombia. © (Des)tejiendo miradas. (Photo: Laura Coral Velazquez)

 

Online exhibition and associated activities:(Des) Tejiendo Miradas / (Un-) Stitching Gazes
Description: This online exhibition is a collaboration between the research project “(Un-) Stitching the Subjects of Colombia’s Reconciliation Process” – led by Beatriz Arias (University of Antioquia) and Berit Bliesemann de Guevara (Aberystwyth University) – and Roberta Bacic (Conflict Textiles) . It is part of the project’s international dissemination and impact activities. Due to Covid-19, the exhibition will take place online.

The exhibition "(Un-)Stitching Gazes" displays biographical stories, memories and reflections embroidered and sewn by demobilised ex-fighters of the Colombian guerrilla group FARC, their families and new rural neighbours, in conversation with twelve striking arpilleras and other textile pieces of the Conflict Textiles collection. These offer textile reflections on conflict transformation, peace building and reconciliation from Chile, England, Mexico, Northern Ireland, and Peru. It builds on a long-standing collaboration between the project’s principal investigators and the Conflict Textiles curator, which include the exhibitions (La vida que se teje / Life that we sew) in Colombia and (Stitched Voices) and revolves around a joint interest in establishing textile narratives as a language and method of academic research.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a number of events and reflections on textile narratives and their role in transformation processes, from armed violence to peace and reconciliation. These will feature inputs from invited residents representing perspectives including textile art, education, narrative therapy, human rights activism, gender, and peace and conflict studies. Talks, workshops and other events will be held online.

As a basis for these online residences, Conflict Textiles curator Roberta Bacic will:
a) facilitate an online workshop to introduce these residents to the Conflict Textiles collection pieces within this exhibition.
b) deliver two online talks (in English and Spanish) to guide through and reflect on the exhibition.

A short film ‘Conflict Textiles contribution to (Des) Tejiendo Miradas / (Un-) Stitching Gazes’ gives a comprehensive description of the exhibition textiles. The film bridges the gap between viewing them in an actual physical exhibition and online, in that it shows them being handled and displayed in a natural setting; emphasising their three dimensional, tactile nature and facilitating greater engagement by the viewer.
Two versions are available; one with English subtitles and one with Spanish subtitles:
1)‘Conflict Textiles contribution to (Des) Tejiendo Miradas / (Un-) Stitching Gazes’ Version with English subtitles
2) 'Conflict Textiles contribution to (Des) Tejiendo Miradas / (Un-) Stitching Gazes’ Versión con subtitulos en castellano
Release date: 12noon UK time, 15th January

Web links:
Accessing the digital version of the book "(Un)Stitching Gazes: Spinning, embroidering, and mending reconciliation in Colombia", launched on 3rd December 2020.
Commissioned by: Project “(Un-)Stitching the Subjects of Colombia’s Reconciliation Process"
Date(s): 15th January 2021 - 1st March 2021
Venue: Online
(Un-) Stitching Gazes: Virtual Exhibition
Curator: B.Arias/B.B. de Guevara-"(Un-)Stitching Gazes"; R.Bacic/B.Doherty -Conflict Textiles
Facilitator: Project team “(Un-)Stitching Gazes” (UK and Colombia)
Outcome: The Conflict Textiles collection’s film contribution has highlighted the role that the medium of film can play in bringing textiles to live in a virtual environment brought about by a pandemic. Through its artistic appeal, the film and accompanying events have served to cultivate relationships with different collaborators of the Conflict Textiles collection. The film, the online exhibition featuring the 12 Conflict Textile pieces, and related resonances of artists- and researchers-in-residence, have also brought a range of new audiences in contact with the textile pieces in the collection, including academics, textile artists, narrative therapists, children and others in Chile, Colombia, Germany, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, the UK, the US and beyond.




Documents: • Conflict Textiles list: Colombia, 2020 - view
• “(Un-)Stitching Gazes” project textile - view
• Project description (English) - view
• Descripción del proyecto (español) - view
• Invite: Book & website launch, 2nd Dec, 4pm - view
• Online exhibition flier (English): Jan 2021 - view
• Online exhibition flier (español): Jan 2021 - view
• Conversation: Textiles/Peace Processes, 25Jan - view
• Invite: virtual academic workshop, 2 Feb - view
• Invite: children's creative workshop, 15 Feb - view
• Invite: virtual textile art workshop, 27 Feb - view