Friday, 29 March 2024

Event Details

A selection of arpilleras on display at the 'Stitching Memoryscape 「記憶風景を縫う」' exhibition, Sendai, Japan.

A selection of arpilleras on display at the 'Stitching Memoryscape 「記憶風景を縫う」' exhibition, Sendai, Japan.

 

Exhibition and associated activities:Stitching Memoryscape 「記憶風景を縫う」
Description: This exhibition incorporates Chilean arpilleras from the 1970s – 1990s; present day arpilleras and textiles, from Chile and elsewhere, which take their influence from the arpillera tradition; and pieces focused on the 2011 disaster in Tōhoku, Japan. Overall, the exhibition attempts to approach textile art about historical experiences through the keyword of memoryscape. It builds on previous collaborative work between Tomoko Sakai and Roberta Bacic (facilitator and curator of this exhibition respectively) in particular the exhibition Stitching Resistance - Narratives of Daily Life in Chilean Arpilleras (2010).

The Chilean arpilleras, in their denouncement of the Pinochet dictatorship, depict scenes that are important in Chilean social memory. Complex emotions towards home are also stitched: memories of hardship and suffering, as well as memories of community ties and a sense of belonging, can be seen in the everyday landscape of poblacion (neighbourhood). The arpilleras’ portrayal of multi-layered and often conflicting sentiments rooted in a particular social place has a universal appeal, which resonates too with social experiences of people who have lived in the areas affected by the tsunami and nuclear threat.

The Chilean arpilleras are drawn from the international Conflict Textiles collection and from the collection of Oshima Hakko Museum, Japan.

For the arpillera collection of Oshima Hakko Museum, see:
Arpillera: Chilean appliques that narrate in silence (2015)
Meeting Chilean Arpilleras (2013)
Curatorial Visit to Oshima Hakko Museum (2013)

This exhibition, which will be complemented by associated activities such as guided tours and workshops, is:
-Organised by "Stitching Memoryscape" Committee (Naoki Miyamoto, Ayako Osanai, Tomoko Sakai and Soichi Takahashi); The Institute for the Promotion Regional Co-existence, Tohoku Gakuin University; Survivart
-Supported by the Culture Foundation of Miyagi
-Sponsored by Tohoku Gakuin University.

An electronic version of the exhibition catalogue is unavailable.
Commissioned by: Stitching Memoryscape Committee
Date(s): 30th May 2017 - 12th June 2017
Venue: Tokyo Electron Hall, Sendai, JAPAN
3-3-7, Kokubuncho, Aoba-Ward, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-0803 Japan
Curator: Roberta Bacic assisted by Breege Doherty; "Stitching Memoryscape" Committee
Facilitator: Tomoko Sakai, associate professor at Tohoku Gakuin University
Outcome: A total of 402 people viewed this exhibition. Two follow-up exhibitions are planned: 1)Kyoto, 1st - 9th July 2017 and Nagasaki, 29th August - 3rd September 2017.




Documents: • Public seminar flyer - Sendai, 15 June 2016 - view
• Study trip report, Santiago de Chile, Sept 16 - view
• Textile list - Conflict Textiles collection - view
• List of arpilleras - Oshima Hakko collection - view
• Public Seminar 2 - 13 July 2016 - view
• Public Seminar 3 & 4 - 20 Aug and 8 Sept 2016 - view
• Public Seminar 5 - 1 October 2016 - view
• Public Seminar 6 & 7, 19 Nov2016; 17 Dec 2017 - view
• Public Seminar 8 - 21 Jan 2017 - view
• Arpillera captions- Oshima Hakko collection - view
• Stitching Memoryscape flyer (3 exhibitions) - view
• Programme of associated activities, May/June - view
• Paper by Tomoko Sakai, INMP conference, 2020 - view
 




Textiles Displayed:Earthquake
Corte de agua / Water cut
Juntos en la adversidad / Together in adversity
Panfleteando en el 1979 en Santiago / Leafleting in Santiago in 1979
Al Servicio de la vida / Servicing life
Paz - Justicia - Libertad / Peace - Justice - Freedom
¿Dónde están los desaparecidos? / Where are the "disappeared"?
Cesantía / Unemployment
No más contaminación / No more pollution
Homenaje a los caídos / Homage to the fallen ones
Lucía, Lucía, la olla está vacía / Lucia, Lucia, The pots are empty
Carabineros tumbando olla común / Police tumbling soup kitchen
Encadenamiento / Women Chained to Parliament Gates
Retorno de los exiliados / Return of the exiles
Mi Trabajo en el Mercado / My work in the Market
Hermanos Mapuche en huelga de hambre / Mapuche people on hunger strike
Blutspur / Blood trail
Soldiers back from the wars
En el lado “bueno” de la valla / On the “Good" Side of the Fence
El recuerdo de esta historia / The memory of this story
Penurias en nuestra población / Hardship in our community