Fertile Projects with Deep Roots

Maria Saygua André’s projects are like seeds planted in a rich cultural soil. They encourage viewers to reflect on vestiges of a past that influences the present. By fostering these deeper connections through her multi-layered works, she invites us to engage in haptic encounters that resonate within.

1. Your work explores the intersection between the West and the Andes. How do you balance and integrate these two cultural influences into your creations? Are there specific elements from one culture that you incorporate predominantly?

I seek to develop a ritual through gestures linked to textile practices. To this end, I have drawn inspiration from pre-Incan textile archives as well as Western archaeological records. In July 2022, the experience of returning to my native country, Bolivia, for the first time after 21 years of absence, led me to reconnect with my roots and—despite the spatial and cultural divide—reclaim this unconscious heritage, shaping my plural identity in my artistic approach. I thus explored historical archives related to the Bolivian territory as well as elements connected to the country’s contemporary culture, particularly through traditions and their modern manifestations, notably through the aesthetics of the Bolivian Chola (a word of Quechua origin used during colonization to categorize the descendants of Indigenous and Spanish peoples). These contextual elements allow me to further ground my work. For all that, it is driven by these reflections on manual textile experiments.

2. You mention creating “new imaginaries” in your work. How do you approach the process of developing these imaginaries? Are they inspired by something specific, such as oral stories or historical archives?

In my work, I explore the notion of tradition and heritage. I draw upon knowledge linked to various territories between Europe and Latin America. I engage with historical archives, such as Roman archaeological excavations. In Bolivia, particularly in the Chuquisaca region where I come from, weaving is regarded as a living entity. This respect and reverence are reflected in the structural construction of the textiles—through their iconography, colors, and the meticulous gestures involved in their creation. This perception of textiles has profoundly influenced me, especially in the way I handle fibers and shape my creations with gestures of love to give them life.My textiles take on a spatial and sculptural dimension in my installations. This allows me to initiate a haptic conversation with the viewer. With their minimalist, abstract forms and use of fibrous materials, these installations invite us to imagine, to question our own references and experiences of life, and our physicality. This allows me to travel in a hybrid, expanded space-time, borrowed from woven concrete elements and mental projections specific to the viewer.

3. The concept of “vestiges of a time that does not exist” is an important part of your practice. How do you approach creating works that explore this idea, and how does it influence the way you present your work?

I regard textiles as sensitive witnesses to our societies, reflecting social, cultural, and technological transformations, as well as the emergence of new materials and hybridization. At the core of my practice is the exploration and questioning of textile structures themselves. This medium enables me to navigate across time and regions, making the spatial-temporal boundaries associated with notions of tradition and heritage more porous. I employ manual textile techniques to create minimalist and raw works. While contemporary in form, the textile language is ancestral. These pieces could be perceived as both relics and contemporary artifacts; only the use of certain materials provides clues as to the time and place of their creation. My work often takes possession of the space, not only through its scale but also through its sobriety. I use one or two materials, a single tool, and a series of precise gestures, which through repetition, allow the work to take shape, without artifice or embellishment.

4. Your practice involves a ritualistic aspect. How do you define “ritual” in your creative process, and how does it contribute to the materialization and grounding of your projects?

I develop a ritual from the materials I encounter, seeking to shape them, give them form, and sometimes even decompose them. I have worked with wood, sculpting it and then burning it. I then worked with charcoal, breaking it down to a fine dust. I separated the thistle from the ash, choosing to work solely with the ash residue. This cyclical process of materials is, for me, a way to care for and respect them in their various states through time. I apply this approach to certain textile fibers, which I spin and dye before weaving into threads. At times, I undo my work, as I enjoy reusing certain materials. Both spinning and weaving are fertile, guiding gestures, helping me maintain a connection with myself, to channel and organize my thoughts. This time devoted to creation is a way for me to remain fully in the present moment, experiencing each gesture and each breath as an ascent.

5. Looking to the future, what are the next steps or projects you are planning? Are there new techniques, materials, or themes you are excited to explore?

I aspire to continue with my projects, traveling to explore new horizons and connect with new people. I aim to delve deeper into my research on textile traditions and their contemporary interpretations in Latin America, particularly in Bolivia. Additionally, I seek to expand my historical research into the origins of certain aspects of our culture that trace back to Europe. I've already begun collaborating with anthropologists. From a visual standpoint, I wish to further explore the relationship between textile structures, sculpture, and the body, especially through the integration of ceramics. Professionally, I’d like to develop more ambitious projects in terms of space and scale, working with new institutions, for instance. I am also eager to collaborate with a collective, transforming my practice from an individual pursuit into a shared, communal experience.

6. Get inspired!

INSTAGRAM: @pocamea
WEBSITE: mariaeandre.com