The artist talks about herself: Lucia Stacchetti
I’ve been involved in textile art for 30 years and nature has always been my source of inspiration.
I studied art and aesthetics at the Catholic University of Chile and graduated in 1974.
In the following years I dedicated myself to watercolours as a means of artistic expression, creating large-format paintings. Meanwhile, the study and treatment of colour interaction (Albers-Bauhaus) is a constant challenge in the search for balance in my work.
In the 80’s (1985) I discovered the quilt and I started to explore its techniques but since there were no artists or schools in Chile where to visit or gain information I was completely self-taught.
During a trip to the United States, I came into contact with technology. There I discovered the tool with which I have since found a new means of expression by experimenting with design techniques. From that moment on, the use of colour on fabrics has taken a new direction.
Photo copyright Lucia Stacchetti
In 1999 the 3rd International Symposium Shibori Symposium (organized by Yoshiko Wada) took place in Chile, which changed my work. For this occasion several Chilean artists were invited to presentShibori dyeing techniques.
There I exhibited my first fabric: a quilt made with fabrics dyed using the Arashi technique
and I was selected for an international exhibition with artists from 5 continents.
At first I made traditional quilts in which I worked rigorously oncolour and its interaction, which is reflected in the configuration of the geometric structures that make up my work. Following I participated in several textile exhibitions: 2003 1stInternational Meeting Minitextil Contemporáneo Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, 2008 Carrefour Europe St. Moritz. Marie aux Mines, 2011 VI International Biennial Exhibition ofContemporary Textile Art WTA Mexico shows Art Textile Object
photo copyright Lucia Stacchetti
2012 Contemporary Textile Art National Museum of Fine Arts Santiago Chile
photo copyright Lucia Stacchetti
2016 Festival Quilt, Gramados, Brasile
photo copyright Lucia Stacchetti
2016 International Festival Quilt of Birmingham England
photo copyright Lucia Stacchetti
The study in the use of colour (Albers) and the application of these principles inmy work, have led to the success “Honouring the square” which was selected for the 5th European Quilt Triennial 2012.
“Honoring To the Square” and detail copyright Lucia Stacchetti
As I said then: my quilt I brings to light what I see and not “what is”. It is the observation of colour effect and their relationships. What counts here is contemplation, “looking”, and is linked to fantasy and imagination, as Joseff Albers says in his book “The interaction of colour“. The challenge was to obtain certain colours by combining fragments of dyed fabric with an anlog (limited fix) as opposed to the painter who obtains the desired colours by mixing colour pigments.
copyright Lucia Stacchetti
This event (“5th European Quilt Triennial”) marked a change in my artistic growth. The contact with other artists and the observation of their works made with different creative elements allowed me to recognize the possibility of integrating non-traditional materials and techniques with the quilt. This gave me the opportunity to be more incisive in my work content
“My textile work is an attempt to communicate the creative process achieved on raw white material through traditional and non-traditional techniques of image rendering such as: engraving, sewing and dyeing, giving new expression and where the traces left by time reflect an idea”.
Since then, I have never stopped creating in the textile industry. I’m glad I found a means of expression that connects me to myself in such a unique way. This allows me to go my own way by applying colour effects to my designs, which at the time were geometric and repetitive, but more dynamic and permissive than traditional patchwork.
Over the last 6 years my work has changed from geometric to organic. Basically, I work with over lapping layers fabrics of a different densities using stitching as a graphic means of expression. The creative process in the workin itself is lengthy. It is a work that focuses on careful research and the study of experimental processes on textile surfaces: oxidation, natural dyes, imprints with elements of nature, non-traditional engraving techniques such as photo engraving and tetra printing. The over lapping images added to the stitch work by hand and machine provide the graphic element.
copyright Lucia Stacchetti
Throughout this time the works are recognized by imprint, by the traces left bytime on nature which I transfer as living organs onto the surface of my tissues.
Color and texture, the smell of soil ad oxidized metals, leaves, flowers and roots, are collected and stratified. It is this period of observation, research and investigation where information is transferred to textile surfaces that requires the most time. This period culminated in an exhibition in Chile in July 2018.
GALLERY # 1 some works from the personal exhibition
copyright Lucia Stacchetti
In the near future I intend to show the results of this work outside Chile, especially in Europe. This year my work will be represented for the second time at the 7th European Quilt Triennial in Heidelberg,but with an entirely different work from the previous Triennial of 2012.
copyright Lucia Stacchetti
This new concept has been developed over recent years using a collage of very freely produced fabrics, interwoven layers with markings, dyeing, sewing, printing (Tatraprint) and oxidation. In this way, I allow the work to convey my meaningduring its creation and development, thus retaining contact with the original inspiration.
My activity is currently divided into textile work and courses in Santiago de Chile at a cultural institute. I spend several months in Italy and in addition I hold workshops on textile surface manipulation for Chilean and Argentinian artists.
In Chile, traditional patchwork and quilting have become increasingly popular. Especially in my art quilt workshops I encourage experimentation, and research for self-expression in the fields of the color and technology.
copyright Lucia Stacchetti
GALLERY #2: Photo of the creative process
copyright Lucia Stacchetti
