This arpillera epitomises the layers of journeys undertaken by arpilleras and arpilleristas, from their humble origins in Chile, to far flung corners of the earth. It was made for the 2010 Chilean Embassy exhibition in Berlin, "Arpilleras from yesterday and today", in response to the theme of ambassadorial arpilleras.
Reflecting on her own journey of creating this piece Deborah comments: "The design developed as I thought of the long path that the traditional arpilleras from Chile and other countries have travelled to reach us in Western Europe. The stories that these arpilleras told about repressive conditions … were often challenging.”
For Deborah, it was also important to depict the more philosophical journey of arpilleras which has “enabled many people to connect on a human level …to other people … in perhaps far differing and challenging circumstances, but emphasising the human conditions we all live in." |