c. 1977

Vestidura

Colombian, born 1932

Vestidura (“ceremonial robe”) displays Olga de Amaral’s masterful use of the handwoven spiral-wrapped and plaited cords, ropes, and long tapes introduced by the artist in the 1970s. Her focus at the time was on monumental scale and sculpturally dimensional art forms in fiber. Vestidura exemplifies a construction style that magnifies dimension and includes stiff lustrous horsehairs, which add an additional layer of bulk. De Amaral’s work is informed by the ancient weaving tradition of her native Colombia, but she creates individualistic yet universal objects that strive to be sculptural, thereby liberating herself from traditional loom-based work.