Friday, 29 March 2024

Textile Details

'They Fell like Stars from the Sky / Cayeron del cielo como estrellas', Deborah Stockdale. (Photo: Martin Melaugh)
'They Fell like Stars from the Sky / Cayeron del cielo como estrellas', Deborah Stockdale. (Photo: Martin Melaugh)

 

Title of Textile:They Fell like Stars from the Sky / Cayeron del cielo como estrellas
Maker: Deborah Stockdale
Country of Origin: Republic of Ireland
Year Produced: 2013
Size (cm): 62cm x 75cm
Materials: Cotton, silks, linen, synthetics
Type of Textile: Arpillera
Description:

In this arpillera, Deborah conveys the devastating impact of the estimated up to 30,000 disappeared people in Argentina, during the seven year military dictatorship led by Lieutenant General Videla, 1976–1983.

The figures falling through the night sky, each with a small red heart, represent the bodies, sometimes still alive, hurled from aeroplanes. The circle of women are the Abuelas (Grandmothers) de Plaza de Mayo, keeping vigil for their disappeared loved ones.

In the middle area (the ‘water’ area) and on the reverse side, tangible memories are encapsulated - a tablecloth, photograph and letters- from Miguel Angel de Boer’s young wife, María Haydée Rabuñal. She was a medical student, who was 'disappeared' in the 1970s.

Integrating these three strands afforded Deborah: “a way of comprehending the absolute scale of this tragedy for the people of Argentina.”

Owner: Conflict Textiles collection
Location: Conflict Textiles store
Original / Replica: Original
Photographer: Martin Melaugh
Provenance: Donation from Deborah Stockdale.



Textile exhibited at: RETAZOS TESTIMONIALES: arpilleras de Chile y otras latitudes, 28/09/2013 - 10/11/2013
Women 31 , 7/03/2014 - 15/04/2014
Sew to Speak – Human Rights, 12/09/2014 - 14/09/2014
Stitched Legacies of Conflicts , 7/10/2016 - 26/11/2016
Textile Language of Conflicts, 6/11/2017 - 10/11/2017
Justicia Transicional y Arte-Textil / Transitional Justice and Art-Textile, 24/09/2018 - 18/10/2018
Embracing Human Rights: Conflict Textiles’ Journey, 9/01/2020 - 31/07/2020
Following the footsteps of the disappeared, 30/08/2020 - 30/08/2021
Following the Footsteps of the Disappeared 2021, 31/08/2021 - 20/12/2021
Following in the Footsteps of the Disappeared, 13/10/2021 - 13/10/2021
Tras las huellas de los/as desaparecidos/as, 10/01/2022 - 5/02/2022
The role of textile language in global and regional human rights protection, 10/11/2022 - 10/11/2022



Textile Detail Image(s)

  'They Fell like Stars from the Sky' (reverse side), by Deborah Stockdale. (Photo: Martin Melaugh)