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New Mexico State University
Center for Latin American and Border Studies
College of Arts and Sciences

K-12 OUTREACH

  • Workshop for K-12 Art Teachers on Peruvian Weaving- Oct 13 & 14, 2005 Friday, 9:30am - 2:30pm

    • The Center for Latin American and Border Studies and the Art Department at New Mexico State University sponsored two hands-on workshops for K-12 art teachers, held at the Nason House on the NMSU campus on October 13 and 14, 2005. They were attended by twenty seven art teachers from the Las Cruces Public Schools and the Gadsden Independent School District . These workshops were part of Weaving Tradition and Culture , a series of events featuring the visit of Peruvian master weaver Alexander Gallardo Pinco from Ayacucho, Perú.

    The first part of the program consisted of a multimedia presentation to give the teachers an introduction to the cultural and historical background of Peruvian weaving. Mr. Alexander Gallardo Pinco offered a Power-Point-enhanced presentation on the Wari / Inca legacy of traditional Peruvian weaving. Through a comparative approach he showed examples of ancient tapestry side by side contemporary works. He went on to analyze the symbols used by Inca and Wari weavers, and their connection to the Inca/Wari worldview. The presentation concluded with a video on the different stages of the weaving process in the context of the Gallardo family studio and the Andean town of Ayacucho . Under Mr. Gallardo Pinco and his father's leadership, a number of projects to preserve ancient techniques and patterns have been established in the region of Ayacucho, Perú. The weavers of Ayacucho continue the expertise and artistic skills of their ancestors, the Wari culture. The Wari developed their political power in the central highlands of Perú between 500-800 of our era, and their imperial style spread through much of the Andes . Following the traditions of their ancestors, contemporary weavers devote intensive efforts in all aspects of textile production, from the gathering of raw materials from plants and animals, for the threads and the dyeing process, to the selection of sophisticated patterns. The capacity of abstraction of Wari weavers is distinct among the Peruvian weaving artists.

    During the hands-on part of the workshop teachers were able to explore different weaving techniques on portable looms. In addition, attendees had an opportunity to tour the exhibit Native Textiles of the Americas on site and were encouraged to visit Master Weavers of Peru: Wari/Inca Legacy , the larger exhibit at the Branigan Cultural Center , also part of the Weaving Tradition and Culture project. Teachers received a folder with didactic materials, including instructions on how to build a simple loom, more weaving techniques, and relevant websites on the history and culture of Perú, for further reference.

     

For details contact: Lilian Cibils, tel: (505)-646-4564, Fax: (505)-646-6819 K-12 Program Coordinator, E-mail: lcibils@nmsu.edu

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