Featured Jalq’a handwoven textile-commenys

Hi all,got this a while back. I read the use of the red and black and the strange mythical creatures are typical of the work of the Jalq’a (in Bolivia) community weavers. Jalq’a weaving is still unique in many ways (well that’s what I read) and unfortunately it’s a ‘dying’ art. So this was obviously brought as a souvenir wall hanging. Dating it would be nearly impossible I would think as they are still being produced.

However I read that there’s increasingly more machine woven copies on the market. So I just wanted to check that this is definitely handwoven? Size is 73cmx90cm. Thank you for any comments

 

Fascinating. Here's a similar one in The Art Institute of Chicago.

https://www.artic.edu/artists/117770/j-alqa

Debora

 

Stunning piece. I have two traditional Peruvian ponchos, one Cusco style and one possible Pisac style. Both are beautiful, but this piece is Andean weaving design overload.
It looks handwoven to me, but I'll tag @2manybooks for you.

 

Many thanks AJ. Glad you like it. I did read about Andean textile design previously,but I will have another look so I can better understand your comment.

 

Thank you Debora

 

A beautiful piece. It is not a type I have studied before, so I had to do a bit of poking around on the net, as you have done as well.

The basic technique used in these Jalq'a textiles would be described as a "warp faced" fabric, meaning that the surface you see is created by the threads that were stretched on the loom, while the horizontal weft threads remain hidden. The design itself is created with a "complementary warp" technique. The loom was set up with 2 sets of warps, one black and one pink (with some natural brown warps at the selvage edges). As the weaver passes the weft across the fabric she picks up individual warp threads of the color needed to create the design, and draws the weft behind them. It is a very detailed and time consuming method of weaving. Because the warp threads are used alternately, the color of the design should be reversed on the back of the textile.

I can't say that mechanizing this type of structure and design would be impossible, but I think it would require elaborate computerized control of each individual warp on some version of a jacquard loom.

I don't think that is the case here - meaning I am pretty sure your textile is handwoven. I imagine it dates to the period of the revival of the Jalq'a tradition fostered by Veronica Cereceda beginning in the 1980s. What are the dimensions of your piece?


https://bolivianthoughts.com/2018/07/24/the-dying-art-of-the-worlds-most-beautiful-weaving-bolivia/


https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2173&context=tsaconf


https://andeantextilearts.org/jalqa-weaving-behind-the-scenes-of-our-2024-auction/

 

@2manybooks
Many thanks for your valued insight and the detailed interesting information provided. It does sound like a very time consuming method. These highly skilled weavers must be masters of their art. You make a very valid point regarding the challenges in merchandising or commercialising of such a structure/pattern/design. Iam very glad that you also think it is handwoven. The piece is 90cm long about 73cm wide.