On display in the John Hope Franklin Center Gallery are drawing interventions by Renzo Ortega on Llanchama (or Yanchama). Llanchama is a natural textile used by multiple indigenous communities of the Amazon. Because of its origin, it does not need to be waived, it is considered a "Gift" from mother nature, and also a way to teach how to make textiles in situated contexts. It is widely used in the production of material culture. It comes directly from the great sapucaia inner bark (Lecythis Pisonis), that peels naturally due to its rapid growth in the forest. Llanchama is used as material for ritual garments, blankets, diapers (for babies), baskets, sifters, nets, etc.
Ortega argues about this series of drawing Interventions on llanchama, "The Patrimony series responds to the global evil of heritage destruction, the physical destruction of objects from the past, and the conceptual destruction of people's thoughts and cultural contributions in the present. These drawings are an act of shaping and destroying. A sudden change is generated not by the weather or the erosion; humanity is the one who killed history. Beyond the formal elements of drawing, the physical process of these works creates an imprint that resists and adapts to intentional manipulation. With these works, I create resistant traces, physically and thoughtfully, to follow through on the projected path."
The exhibit will be open to January 16, 2023 through May 18, 2023.
Sponsor
John Hope Franklin Center (JHFC)
Co-Sponsor(s)
Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS)
