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About this Artist

"I am an artisan whose apprenticeship comes from practice. Since my adolescence I've worked in the family workshop, attending to the need of survival. I have always believed that to develop this art and maintain its originality is like building a bridge between the past and present. My work is an expression of Andean culture because it is necessary to have in the present those who were our ancestors, being that the majority of my work is inspired by the Huari culture. In my workshop, I create with my family and we are dedicated exclusively to the production of tapestries and rugs, the theme of which we use to rescue cultural essences. Thus we hold the distinction of using vegetal dyes, a practice that has been nearly extinct since 1969; we have contributed to the rescue of its use, allowing the integration of nature's colors, making them harmonious.

"The prime material of my work is sheep's wool (95%) and cotton (5%), and natural dyes derived from forest plants like the tankar, a shrub that grows in hard to reach places, and I also use walnut, molle, and the carmine of the cochineal insect. Besides the traditional technique of weaving we have developed the arhui stitch, which consists of utilizing the warp as a base for the linkage between two tracts of distinct colors.

"My tools are the loom, the spinning wheel, the carder, etc. Before beginning a tapestry, I make the design on paper, including the colors to be applied, in order to later transfer it to the loom and begin the weaving process. This design serves as a guide for me, although at times it can change, as much in its form as its color in order to better the presentation of the tapestry. Finishing touches of weaving include the borders and the framing. I should state that to appreciate them better, my tapestries should be viewed from a distance, from where one can appreciate the profundity, volume and overall effect. During my artistic trajectory I have developed 600 designs since 1958.

"I have had the satisfaction of exhibiting in Germany, Belgium, and Italy - countries where I was invited to participate with my art and my presence. Also I have exhibited in museums and galleries in Lima since 1974. From 1958-1987 I participated in many contests and received many laurels. Now I abstain in order to give a shot to the young talents. I should note that in 1968 I participated in the World Contest of Arts and Crafts in Lima and won first prize. Similarly, as recognition for the preservation of our cultural values through my work, the Minister of Industry and Tourism of my country awarded me the national Grand Maestro prize in 2000.

"I would like to say to the clients that my tapestries have an ecological character; well, they are 100% natural, both in their fabric and their dyes, and their themes contain a message of Peru's essence."

Alfonso Sulca Chavez was born in 1944.