The Liu Lobby Gal lery presents a textile art exhibition featuring “arpilleras” artwork and w orkshop by Mariela Rojas Farias.
Exhibit: Ma r 15 - May 31\, 2024
Workshop: May 8
J
oin us on May 8\, 2024 at 10:00 am to take part in an arpillera making work
shop. Supplies will be available for attendees who would like to participat
e in creating a small arpillera with the guidance of the artists.
[bu ttons][button link_text="RSVP Here" link_url="https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/arpilleras-of-migration-ticke ts-852374303487"][/buttons]
About the Exhibit:
My work is a bridge to communicate and share\, collaboratively and res pectfully\, the experiences of marginalized groups\, particularly women and children. The narratives of their everyday struggles and many dreams to th rive in unjust and oppressed capitalist urban settings are part of my resea rch. My work is informed by feminism\, post-humanism\, critical pedagogy\, and social justice art education. These theoretical approaches have helped me understand the world and make visible the non-official narratives we\, w omen\, share today.
This project\, called Arpilleras of Migration: an a/r/tography about female Latin American resilience\, was the thesis I dev eloped and recently defended at the Department of EDCP at the Faculty of Ed ucation under the supervision of Professor Rita Irwin\, at the University o f British Columbia.
The term "arpillera" originates from the Spanish word for sackcloth\, the fabric traditionally used for storing staples like flour and potatoes. In Chile\, arpilleras have deep roots in folk art\, wi th images created through embroidery while adding recycled rags. However\, during the harsh years of the dictatorship (1972-1989)\, their purpose tran sformed. As political activists\, dreamers\, students\, workers\, and even high school students were abducted\, their relatives sought answers at hosp itals and police stations in the capital. The Vicariate of Solidarity\, aff iliated with the Catholic Church\, initiated workshops to teach these women the art of arpilleras. Over time\, inspired by this textile protest art\, women's groups have continued to create artworks that address global crises \, including femicides\, child abuse\, and environmental degradation. They voice their collective struggles by perpetuating the silent and maternal tr adition of sewing\, mending\, upcycling\, and repurposing. Furthermore\, si nce the 2019 social uprising in Chile\, textile protest art has become even more prevalent in the streets. This unique form of expression provides a p owerful means for women to share their stories\, advocate for change\, and convey the unspoken truths of their collective battles.
The participa nt in my research and I manufactured these specific arpilleras during the d evelopment of my research between 2021-2022.
Biography
Mariela Rojas Farias is a Chilean artist\, teache r\, and researcher based in the ancestral and unceded territory of the Coas t Salish peoples – sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish)\, sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) \, and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) nations. Her multifaceted career transcends the boundaries of art and education.
With a B.A. in English Language and Linguistics and a B.A. in Visual Arts from the Universidad de Chile\, M ariela's creative talents encompass textile\, ceramics\, sculpture\, and mi xed media. Her works invite viewers into a world of vibrant colours\, shape s\, and textures that evoke deep emotions.
Mariela's artistic explora tion extended to the literary realm\, earning her a Master of Arts in Gener al Literature. Her thesis\, "Life Nonsense in the Postmodern Paradigm\," of fers an insightful deconstruction of human experiences within narratives\, enriching her artistic approach.
Committed to education\, she obtaine d a Master of Arts in Arts Education from the University of British Columbi a\, emphasizing the empowering role of art. Mariela passionately believes t hat art fosters self-expression and resilience.
The exhibit i s free and open to the public during regular building hours\, 9am - 5pm. It is located in the Lobby on the first floor.
Curated by Fabiola Vizcardo.
CATEGORIES:Featured News &\; Events LOCATION:Lobby Gallery\, Liu Institute for Global Issues GEO:49.268776;-123.199987 URL;VALUE=URI:https://sppga.ubc.ca/events/event/the-liu-lobby-gallery-arpil leras-of-migration/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://sppga.cms.arts.ubc.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/02/ARPILLERA_LiuLobbyGallery_PromoGraphics2.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Vancouver BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 DTSTART:20240310T100000 TZNAME:PDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR