I watched an incredibly interesting lecture on Latin American Art History given by VMFA Statewide Partner Speaker Dr. Jeanette Nicewinter. She focused on the textile art of the Inkas or the Tawantinsuyu. One thing I learned was that Andean textiles were used not only as an artistic form but as a form of communication, indicating people’s rank and occupation. Textiles were incredibly important and valued because weaving symbolized the fabric of the universe and the process of making these textiles was time, resources, and labor intensive. In fact, the textiles were so important, that the people who made them were known as aclla or scared/ chosen women. The Inkas had such an interesting culture of weaving, textiles, the idea of camay, stone construction, and the belief in a sun god and anyi. I was amazed by their ability to create so much art and develop such a complicated culture in only 100 years. The level of complication in their belief system, art and architectural production, and of course in their recording-keeping system all seem to indicate a much longer existence. This makes me wonder how much of the Inkan culture was newly created and how much was borrowed from other cultures. I was also amazed by the fact that Inkan weavers (aclla) were able to lay 300 threads per square inch. I wonder if this was accomplished by really thin threads or just by incredible handiwork and the ability to apply intense pressure to the threads. I really loved how the textiles were so closely connected to the landscape of the Inkan empire and I wish I could create my own oil paints, using natural materials, so that my paintings could be more closely connected to the natural places they portray.
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Emma LindleyHi! I am an art student at Maggie Walker and I am so excited to share with you my thoughts, my art ideas, and my finished works. I hope you enjoy! Archives
June 2021
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