II, 2023
Yarn (llama-vicuna-dog fur) spun on hand spindle and locally-sourced alpaca yarn knitted on cactus needles
Created in the Atacama Desert, Calama (CL) during my residency with La Wayaka Current
This knitted tapestry hints at the silhouette of Mount Licancabur (the volcano central to Coyo where we stayed), which reveals itself when viewed at an angle. Similar to how the shadows of mountain ridges change with the position of the sun, I used knitted ridges to create 'shadows' that form an illusion of the volcano.
I was inspired by the Lickanantay concept of Warmija— the perfect harmony that can be found between woman and man, resulting in one balanced being. It reminded me of the balance of Yin&Yang, as well as how spun fibres must be plied in the opposite direction for the finished yarn to be balanced.
I saw Licancabur as a motherly figure; central to the local people, it seems to overlook the scene wherever we go. Its silent and steady presence tells us it is going nowhere, and perhaps that is why it fades into the horizon, still and forgotten in the motion of daily life, just as it hides itself in plain sight on the tapestry when viewed straight on.