Mariana Guagliano is based in the city of Cordoba in Argentina. A background in fine art and fashion combined with a love of hand embroidery result in beautifully detailed delicate pieces. “They recreate a universe that transports me to loving moments of my past,” she explains.

Where are you based and where do you work?

I have a studio in my house, where I create my personal work. Then, five years ago I founded a space called Rizoma in the centre of Cordoba in Argentina. It is a studio/workshop, where I started teaching embroidery and textile classes. Gradually different teachers with other techniques related to the world of art, fashion design and textile joined and now there are eight teachers.

What is your background in textiles?

I studied fine arts and fashion design, but my introduction to the world of textiles was thanks to my grandmother, who owned a fabric house, and was always very close to the world of art and fashion. She taught me how to paint and the subtle art of embroidery when I was very young. I still remember running around fabrics at my grandmothers house. When her fabric house closed, I kept all those old textiles, and to this day I use them for my work. 

Can you talk me through how you work?

One thing always leads to another. I start from some desire, or something that moves me. After that, I write a lot and read. Writing down all the information about the images I have in my head organises them. Also pieces of text emerge that I later use in the works. After this I sketch a lot, discarding some ideas and adding new ones.

How do you describe your art? 

I work with the body. In my life, art is a tool that helps me to expose, always from the self-referential, sociocultural mechanisms related to what surrounds me. I work with elements such as clothing, fabrics, or my own image. Elements that allow me to develop a language of interest with everything related to the work, with embroidering or sewing, with spinning stories or painting fabrics. I try to recreate some universe that transports me to loving moments of my past. Perhaps, all my actions in relation to textiles, is to repeat over and over those moments. 

What is it that appeals to you about textiles?

Well, I think I will go back to what had say in the previous answers about my relationship with textiles. In addition to aesthetically, I was always more attracted to how a textile is presented in space, or the possibilities that textiles offers. Everything has to do with an effective language. Working with textiles is like working with my first love, it connects me to the past, and I feel at home and happy.

How long does a piece take to make from start to finish?

It depends! I have some pieces that have taken me five years to do. Because I make a piece, then Ieave it for a while, I do something else, and then maybe I put them together… I play I make collages with the pieces I’m making. Alternatively I can start and finish a piece on a month. I think it is relative, and maybe it has to do with how those pieces emerge. 

Where do you find inspiration?

In history, I usually read a lot of history and especially the history of fashion and society.  In nature, poetry music… I love to see parades and ballet… And in my own personal history. I find connections in my history with all that I named above. 

Do you have any advice for aspiring textile artists?

I think in all professions curiosity and persevering are very important. In textiles I think that investigate, get fully into the field. Learn about how textiles work in the communities of all cultures of the world, the history of textiles, how fashion houses work, haute couture, the techniques they use, contemporary textile artists, going to museums to see these artists. Investigating, being curious, to also know with which technique or what works resonates with you. 

What are you most proud of in your artistic career so far?

I’m happy to be able to do what I like, I’m passionate about it, and dedicate myself to it. That for me is already a huge pride. And keep working.

Is there anything you would like to add? 

I am currently working on an exhibition where I am embroidering 15 women from history who are inspirational to me: Leonora Carrington, Annette Messager, Simone de Beauvoir, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, among others. These embroideries are part of a book, that if the universe conspires in our favour, it will be in the bookstores next year! And the embroidery processes will be shown by my Instagram! 

http://marianaguagliano.tiendup.com/

  marianaguagliano

  Mariana Guagliano Broderie