Antonio Pichillá, “Abuela”, 2024

Antonio Pichillá

“Abuela”, 2024

fios de lã e fibra de maguey
wool threads and maguey fiber

114 x 31 x 17,5 cm
45 x 12.2 x 7 in

An indigenous artist from the Mayan Tz'utujil people, Antonio Pichillá works with a variety of media, but finds textile weaving as his main focus of interest. For him, the processes and materials that involve textile traditions represent a way of rescuing his ancestry, especially through the memory of the women of his own family. His research is also based on the collectivity, culture and symbols of his people, native from the Lake Atitlan region (Guatemala).

Guatemalan artist Antonio Pichillá, of indigenous Maya Tz’utujil heritage, has cultivated a unique engagement with textile art, particularly the ancestral weaving techniques of his people. The techniques, patterns and colors he uses bear profound symbolic meanings connected to the spirituality and traditions of his culture.

Abuela transmits the ancestral knowledge of the women in the artist’s family while reinterpreting and ensuring the continuity of this cultural legacy. The knots in the work reference Maya shamanic and energetic practices, representing the connection between beings and their new beginnings – it is through their union that continuation becomes possible. In addition to uniting, the knot also signifies articulation and structure, while alluding to the tension in these relationships.

O guatemalteco Antonio Pichillá, indígena de origem Maia Tz'utujil, desenvolveu um particular interesse pela arte têxtil, principalmente pelas técnicas tradicionais de tecelagem empregadas pelos seus ancestrais. Tanto as técnicas, quanto as padronagens e cores, carregam simbolismos relacionados à espiritualidade e às tradições de seu povo.

A obra "Abuela" traz o conhecimento ancestral das mulheres da família do artista, além de reinterpretar e dar continuidade a essa herança cultural. Seus nós fazem referência às práticas xamânicas e energéticas dos Maias, representando o vínculo entre os seres e seus recomeços, já que é a união entre eles que lhes permite continuar. Além de unir, o nó também significa uma articulação e uma estrutura, ao passo que faz uma alusão à relação de tensão entre eles.