Thursday, 28 March 2024

Event Details

Participants at the closing workshop, Saturday 28th October, 2017.  (Photo: Dr.Joanna Page)

Participants at the closing workshop, Saturday 28th October, 2017. (Photo: Dr.Joanna Page)

 

Exhibition and associated activities:Arpilleras Speak Truth
Description: This exhibition takes place as part of the Festival of Ideas at Cambridge University. Now in its 10th year, the festival aims to encourage the public to explore the arts, humanities and social sciences through debates, workshops, talks, exhibitions and performances.

Arpilleras first came to Cambridge for the first Festival of Ideas in 2008. Almost a decade later they have returned to mark this anniversary, having since travelled the world, inspiring new creations in many other countries. “Arpilleras Speak Truth” features 13 arpilleras from Chile, Peru, Zimbabwe, England, Ecuador and Argentina. Through these pieces, arpilleristas expose, denounce, highlight and bear witness to a myriad of issues, events and human rights abuses.

The exhibition will be on display in the seminar room at the Centre for Latin American Studies from September 25 to October 28, 2017.
Pre-book to view during the week, tel. 01223-335398

Local arpillerista Linda Adams will facilitate a workshop with a group of students from Rowan, a Cambridge based charity and arts centre for people with learning disabilities, aiming at introducing arpilleras at the centre.

Talk, guided tour and drop in workshop, 11am - 3pm, Saturday 28 October, 2017.
In this workshop you will have an opportunity to chat with Conflict Textiles curator, Roberta Bacic and arpilleristas and learn how to make an arpillera doll. No previous sewing skills are required.
This event will close with a Cuban Contemporary Guitar concert and live music from South America.

Web links:
Cambridge Festival of Ideas 2017 - programme
CLAS UPCOMING EVENTS
(Centre of Latin American Studies).
"Arpilleras Speak Truth", features the Argintinean arpillera AUSENCIAS –PRESENCIAS Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo/Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo.
Commissioned by: University of Cambridge, Centre of Latin American Studies (CLAS)
Date(s): 25th September 2017 - 28th October 2017
Venue: Centre of Latin American Studies (CLAS), University of Cambridge
Alison Richard Building, Second Floor, 7 West Road, Cambridge, CB3 9DT
Curator: Roberta Bacic, assisted by Breege Doherty
Facilitator: Julie Coimbra
Outcome: The theme of the Festival of Ideas 2017 was TRUTH and the exhibition “Arpilleras Speak Truth” attracted a wide audience from across the University and further afield. Visitors were especially stimulated, affected and impressed by the variety of arpilleras displayed and the different themes and countries represented.

The final event, which included a hands-on workshop and guided tours led by curator Roberta Bacic, was very well attended, with few spare seats. Families sewed together; visitors from Wales, London and other parts of the country stitched and conversed. One woman brought arpilleras that had been given to her in the 1970s by Chilean exiles. She had not shown them previously but the nature of the exhibition and final event prompted and impelled her to share them publicly - a fitting finale to this inspiring exhibition.




Documents: • list of textiles: Arpilleras Speak Truth - view
• Exhibition poster: Arpilleras Speak Truth - view
• Exhibition catalogue - Cambridge, Oct 2017 - view
• Nora Cortiñas UK Speaking Tour - Oct/Nov 2017 - view
• Nora Cortiñas, CLAS, 1st Nov - Update - view