Argentina, together with thirty-three countries from all five continents, will take part in the London Design Biennale which opened yesterday and will run until 26 September 2018 at Somerset House.
Under the slogan Emotional States, the Biennale will feature installations related to the sensorial qualities of design which provoke emotions and moods, exploring the history of each country.
Argentina presented an installation called The Impenetrable Forest, created with textile pieces by Wichi communities from the Province of Formosa, which were chosen because of their rich symbolism and exemplary self-sustainability.
Argentina's presence at the London Design Biennale seeks to pay homage to the historic Wichi legacy and the efforts to keep it intact; to find genuine ways of dynamizing regional economies, raising awareness abroad of products offered by them and to showcase our country's typical cultural diversity.
For the Wichi people there is no "I", there is only "us". Each of them considers their existence as part of a whole and, therefore, weaving has a metaphorical connotation which relates to their way of life.
The Wichi textiles and yarns presented at the London Design Biennale are created with chaguar leaves, a native species which grows without human intervention and cannot be cultivated.
After thorns are removed, hand-picked leaves are crushed in a stone mortar, extracting chlorophyll so the fibre gains a raw colour. The fibre obtained is then dyed with extract from bushes of The Impenetrable Forest in order to make balls of yarn. Finished yarns are knitted to create patterns which evoke the powers of nature.
Argentina's participation, curated by the designers collective TRImarchi, was organized with the support of the Argentine Foreign Ministry, the Secretary of Culture, the Argentine Embassy in London and the British Council.
The TRImarchi curators team has been invited to give presentations on the textile installation at several universities and cultural institutions: a presentation for 250 people at the London Design Museum, a lecture on 21 September at the Argentine Ambassador's Official Residence and an event at Somerset House jointly organized by the embassies of Brazil, Colombia and Guatemala.
It is estimated that 200,000 visitors will attend the Biennale, which is expected to receive wide press coverage.
Press Release No. 355/18
