Thursday, 18 September 2025
Textile
Details
Bienvenida a los prisioneros / Welcoming the Prisoners (Photo: Martin Melaugh)
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| Title of Textile: | Bienvenida a los prisioneros / Welcoming the Prisoners |
| Maker: | Anonymous |
| Country of Origin: | Chile |
| Year Produced: | c1977 |
| Size (cm): | 48x37cm |
| Materials: | Scraps of materials hand sewn onto burlap |
| Type of Textile: | Arpillera |
| Description: | ‘Liberation’ is how an anonymous arpillerista describes her scene of prisoners flooding out from prison high prison walls to tearfully reunite with families and loved ones. This work may be in response to the 300 political prisoners released in 1976 as part of an attempt by the Pinochet government to improve its public image under pressure from the international community. The regime faced criticism regarding its blatant human rights abuses such as detention, torture, execution and disappearance of political prisoners without trial, which we are reminded of by the blue colouring of several prisoners faces, and uniformed guards holding open the gates. (HM1124) |
| Owner: | Conflict Textiles collection |
| Location: | Conflict Textiles store |
| Original / Replica: | Original |
| Photographer: | Martin Melaugh |
| Provenance: | Donation from an anonymous member of the Chile Solidarity Committee of Berlin (West). Received Nov 2022. (HM0924) |
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