Showing posts with label Zapotec weaving symbols. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zapotec weaving symbols. Show all posts

Friday, February 2, 2018

Beyond colors and shapes ... Zapotec weaving symbols


Rug from Teotitlán del Valle
When I first started looking at weavings, I only saw colors and shapes. It took awhile to realize that each work represented a connection ... a connection to past traditions, to beliefs about the world, to something important to that particular weaver. Now looking at a rug is more like looking at a tangible meditation, a prayer or story. It is a piece of the weaver, a piece of tradition and contains an energy to be shared with viewers and buyers.

When I visited the rug-weaving village Teotitlán del Valle, I was captivated by many rugs such as the one to the left. The color and designs stunned me, however, it was only later, after researching the designs, that I began to truly appreciate it and its story.