Olga de Amaral: Weaving the Infinite For more than sixty years, Olga de Amaral (Colombian, b. 1932) has explored the creative potential of textiles. Internationally recognized as a trailblazing fiber artist, she has played a defining role in expanding weaving’s possibilities as a fine art medium. Moving fluidly between art and design, Amaral has sustained a practice in which each has informed and enriched the other. First trained in architectural drafting in her hometown of Bogotá, Colombia, and later educated at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, Amaral developed a lifelong engagement with color, fiber, and spatial form. She achieved extraordinary technical mastery through experimentation with weaving techniques, materials, and scale that transformed natural fibers into dynamic sculptures. After returning to Bogotá in 1955, she began producing textiles for Colombia’s emerging modernist architecture community and, together with her husband, artist Jim Amaral, founded the design studio Telas Amaral (Amaral Fabrics). From 1957 to 2007, Telas Amaral produced functional textiles for domestic and commercial use. This workshop became an important site of experimentation where Amaral refined her understanding of weaving both on and off the loom. Amaral has explored the potential of fiber as an artistic medium, producing increasingly monumental works
that have transcended distinctions between art, craft, and design. Her groundbreaking fiber sculptures of the 1960s and 1970s transformed loom-based weavings into immersive architectural structures. In later decades, she pushed the expressive and material boundaries of her textile practice with works incorporating linen, cotton, Japanese paper, gesso, and gold leaf. Bringing together large-scale commissions, designs from Telas Amaral, and objects collected by the artist, Weaving the Infinite situates Amaral’s work within the broader histories of modernism, architecture, and textiles while highlighting her influence on contemporary fiber art and design. Olga de Amaral: Weaving the Infinite is co-organized by the Pulitzer Arts Foundation and Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. The exhibition is curated by Stephanie Weissberg, Senior Curator, with Molly Moog, Curatorial Associate, Pulitzer Arts Foundation; and Christina L. De León, Associate Curator of Latino Design, with Sophia Gebara, Curatorial Assistant of Latino Design, Cooper Hewitt; with support from Jillian Lepek and Maria Magdalena Ugarte Montero.
Unless otherwise noted, all works are by Olga de Amaral (Colombian, b. 1932)
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1. Eslabón familiar (Family Chain), 1973 Horsehair and wool Loaned courtesy of Lisson Gallery
While Amaral is known as a weaver, some of her textiles forgo the use of a loom. The development of off-loom techniques was important for fiber artists of the mid-twentieth century because it allowed them to work at any scale and in multiple dimensions, enabling more sculptural textiles. In Eslabón familiar (Family Chain), wrapped cords spiral around a suspended loop with no clear beginning or end. The work’s title references familial ties as a point of origin, while its continuous shape shows Amaral’s interest in fiber’s infinite potential. As she observed, “weaving is unending, immense, limitless.”
Weaving Foundations
Several of the works in this gallery represent Amaral’s early experiments with weaving. In 1954, she left Bogotá to study textile design at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, where she encountered innovative weavers and interdisciplinary approaches to art and design. While Cranbrook’s faculty generally viewed loomwoven textiles as prototypes for industrially produced fabrics rather than artworks, Amaral recognized their expressive potential. One professor in particular, Finnish American textile designer Marianne Strengell, supported her experimental pursuits. After concluding her studies, Amaral explored a range of methods and forms, combining the Scandinavian weaving traditions that were the foundation of Cranbrook’s program with Indigenous Andean practices that she had observed growing up in Colombia. The artist began to weave strips that she would then interlace in complex systems—an early expression of her distinctive visual language. Together, these works signal her shift away from conventional textile forms toward the ambitious sculptural constructions that would later define her career.
2. Dibujo tejido (Woven Drawing), 1973 Pencil and watercolor on paper Numena Collection
Many weavers work from drawn templates or “cartoons” that emphasize imagery or pattern over structure. In this drawing, however, Amaral focuses on construction, altering a simple plain weave—the alternating over-and-under pattern—by adding dynamic vertical loops or knots. This work appears to be a study of an existing textile or a preparatory sketch in which the artist brainstormed how to add color, texture, and depth to her work.
3. Entrelazado en rojo y negro (Interlaced in Red and Black), 1965 Wool Private Collection 4. Entrelazado en negro (Interlaced in Black), 1967 Wool, cotton, and horsehair Courtesy of DBS Collection, Colombia 5. Tejido doble en blanco, negro y gramote (Double Weave in White, Black, and Gramote), 1965 Wool Private Collection
In typical weavings, the warp (vertical) threads are attached to the loom. Then, the weft (horizontal) threads are woven over and under the warp, building up areas of color and pattern. The perpendicular relationship between warp and weft creates a strong and flexible fabric. Amaral’s formal education at Cranbrook emphasized these working methods. After she returned to Bogotá she started studying ancient Andean tapestries, which gave her new directions to explore on the loom. In Tejido doble en blanco, negro y gramote (Double Weave in White, Black, and Gramote), Amaral adopted an Andean technique where the weft is interrupted to create openings, or slits, in the textile she interfaced with playful geometric forms. She also used a double weave technique, producing two layers of fabric simultaneously, which resulted in a thick, reversible tapestry. In Entrelazado en negro (Interlaced in Black) (#4), she pulled the warp diagonally to connect, separate, and interlace different sections. This work belongs to the series Entrelazados, or “interlacings,” a name that reflects its intricate construction. Both works are made of dense wool fibers in a muted color palette that reflects Colombian materials and dyes. 6. Chair seat, ca. 1954 Wool, cotton, and synthetic Artist’s private collection
7. Helena shawl, ca. 1950–1960s Wool and synthetic Artist’s private collection
Upon completing her studies at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, Amaral was invited to exhibit at the Cranbrook Art Museum. She was the only textile student to receive this honor. Her exhibited works included pillows, shawls similar to this one, and a woven cover for a butterfly chair (#6). The influence of professor Marianne Strengell is evident in the cover’s design and dense, high-quality construction. Strengell’s emphasis on function and technical rigor shaped Amaral’s practice. Amaral said that she discovered her love for color at Cranbrook, finding weaving with dyed fibers “an easy language to embrace.” 8. Dos columnas móviles (Two Mobile Columns), 1985 Wool, linen, and horsehair Numena Collection
As she experimented with the basic structure of weaving, Amaral’s practice became increasingly sculptural. In the late 1960s, she introduced pre-woven strips into her work. These modular units made construction simpler and allowed her to work at a larger scale. She also played with contrasting colors to bring more energy and depth to the work. Here, she attached multiple colorful weavings together, transcending the typically flat surface of a textile. The folds of this work recall the draped forms of Amaral’s woven clothing and functional textiles, such as the nearby shawl (#7). 9. Nostalgia, 1965 Wool Private Collection
Architectural Forms
Throughout the 1960s, Amaral transitioned from flat weavings created using traditional tapestry techniques, like Juego en figuras geométricas (Play in Geometric Shapes) (#10), to sculptural constructions that engaged their surroundings, responding to the dimensions and light of buildings. Amaral drew upon the sophisticated understanding of space she developed in her study of architectural drafting at the Colegio Mayor de Cundinamarca in Bogotá a decade earlier. Beginning with her Muros tejidos (Woven Walls) (see #15), Amaral expanded the scale and physical presence of her works. She incorporated materials like heavy wool and stiff horsehair to add structural stability. This enabled her to position works in the center of a room so viewers could experience them from multiple perspectives. She also combined woven strips by hand, freeing her work from the loom’s inherent limitations on scale and dimensionality. During this period Amaral was among a group of artists who approached weaving as an avant-garde pursuit, establishing the movement that would eventually be known as fiber art. Amaral emerged as a central figure and is among the few Latin American fiber artists to achieve major international recognition.
10. Juego en figuras geométricas (Play in Geometric Shapes), 1964 Wool Courtesy of McKenzie Amaral
Geometric motifs form a playful composition that resists a fixed pattern. Metal weights at the lower edge subtly disrupt the woven field. This work reflects an early phase in which Amaral experimented with abstract imagery to develop her own visual vocabulary. This brought her textiles into conversation with nonrepresentational modern art, laying the groundwork for later works in which she painted directly onto the woven surface. 11. Riscos calizos (Limestone Ridges), 1983 Horsehair and wool Blanca and Sunil Hirani, USA 12. Tejido policromo no. 5 (Polychrome Weaving No. 5), 1985 Wool, cotton, gesso, acrylic, horsehair, and gold leaf Blanca and Sunil Hirani, USA 13. Paisaje de calicanto (Stone Wall Landscape), 1980 Cotton, wool, horsehair, and acrylic Courtesy of La Cometa Gallery
14. Farallón ligero (Light Bluff), 1972 Fiber and horsehair Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Panamá (MAC Panamá)
Amaral is interested in sprang, a technique of interlacing threads around a frame dating back to at least 700 BCE in South America. Colombia is one of the few places where sprang is still used to make objects such as bags and hammocks. Akin to braiding, this method creates a stretchy, netlike fabric secured with a center seam. In the middle section of Farallón ligero (Light Bluff), a loosely arranged sprang construction forms a transparent, lacelike pattern. This work is an early example of Amaral’s longstanding experimentation with transparency in her textiles. 15. Muro tejido con flores azules (Woven Wall with Blue Flowers), 1972 Wool, horsehair, and wood Loaned courtesy of Lisson Gallery
With her Muros tejidos (Woven Walls) series, Amaral began producing threedimensional constructions that evoked built and natural environments. In Muro tejido con flores azules (Woven Wall with Blue Flowers), the artist began with a simple plain-weave background, then knotted wrapped cords onto it. The layered green and blue fibers recall the lush mountainsides of Antioquia, the northwestern province where Amaral’s family comes from. She has said, “I try to understand, to discover the space between oneself and things, between oneself and the surrounding landscape.” The work is made with horsehair, which is used in Colombia to make ropes for wrangling cattle, and it is suspended from an antique yoke designed for harnessing oxen.
16. Riscos en sombra (Ridges in Shadow), 1985 Horsehair and wool Tia Collection
As you walk around Riscos en sombra (Ridges in Shadow), a shifting pattern comes in and out of view. Amaral created this visually vibrating effect by hanging pre-woven strips side by side and sewing them together loosely, leaving narrow openings between them. Light conditions bring out different aspects of the work: sunlight illuminates the shining horsehair in the weave, making the edges seem to glow, while the patterned shadows it casts on the floor ripple and swirl like flowing water.
El gran muro
17. El gran muro, módulo 8B (The Great Wall, Panel 8B), 1976 Wool, horsehair, cotton, viscose rayon, and sisal Gift of The Portman Foundation; Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution 18. El gran muro, módulo 4A (The Great Wall, Panel 4A), 1976 Wool, horsehair, cotton, viscose rayon, and sisal Loaned courtesy of Lisson Gallery
El gran muro (The Great Wall) was commissioned by the architectural firm John Portman & Associates for the atrium of the Peachtree Plaza Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. This monumental textile formed the centerpiece of a dynamic design program that also included works by fellow fiber artists Sheila Hicks and Jon Eric Riis. Rising the full height of the hotel’s atrium, Amaral’s ninety-three-foot hanging echoed the cascading movement of a waterfall, complementing the space’s interior lagoon and Ficus trees. On view here are two of the original sixteen overlapping panels of El gran muro, each composed of thousands of layered tabs made from wool, horsehair, sisal, and other materials, which are sewn to a cotton-twill backing (17–18). To produce this commission, Amaral drew on the architectural drafting skills she developed early in her career, as well
as the support of numerous studio assistants. The complexity of the installation is evident in the detailed drawings and instructions she prepared for the project (see #s 20–21). 19. Boceto de montaje del tapiz de diario El Tiempo (Tapestry Installation Sketch for El Tiempo Newspaper), 1978 Ink, pencil, cut photograph, and marker Numena Collection 20. Boceto de módulo 3b de El gran muro (Sketch for Panel 3B of The Great Wall), ca. 1976 Watercolor, pencil, and marker Numena Collection 21. Boceto de montaje del tapiz de Peachtree Center (Peachtree Center Tapestry Installation Sketch), 1975 Ink Numena Collection
The drawings in this gallery (#s 19–21, 23) relate to El gran muro (The Great Wall) and an unrealized site-specific work Amaral proposed for the offices of the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo. In Boceto 01 (#23) Amaral depicted a textile similar to El gran muro, with woven tabs sewn to a backing at their top edges. The drawing captures the variety and dynamism of these textile components, which appear to dance and sway as though caught in the wind. Another sketch (#20) demonstrates how Amaral carefully planned the
variation of color across three of El gran muro’s sixteen units. In an installation drawing (#21), she addressed technical details, including support structures for the ninety-three-foot-tall textile and how it would intersect with the hotel’s ceiling, lighting, and lagoon. 22. El gran muro (The Great Wall) in the Peachtree Plaza Hotel, Atlanta, 1976 Photographic reproduction © 1976 Alexandre Georges, image courtesy of the Portman Archives 23. Boceto 01 (Sketch 01), 1976 Ink and pencil Numena Collection 24. Columna en pasteles (Column in Pastels), 1972 Wool and horsehair The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by the Caroline Wiess Law Accessions Endowment, 2019.162
Amaral’s background in architecture shaped her approach to structure and space in the 1970s. In this decade, she shifted toward ambitious large-scale fiber constructions that moved away from the wall to become freestanding architectural elements. Columna en Pasteles (Column in Pastels) reflects this evolution. Braided and woven forms build volume, rhythm, and relief. Suspended from a wooden pestle, the work changes as you move around it, revealing its layered surfaces in space.
Global Influences & Techniques
This gallery puts Amaral’s work into conversation with handcrafted objects and artworks she collected in Colombia and internationally. A lifelong student of textiles, she drew on the techniques and forms she encountered throughout her extensive travels to develop her own unique visual language. She recalls visiting Colombia’s countryside markets as a child, where she was captivated by the way Indigenous artisans wove as they walked. In the flatlands of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense and the mountains of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, she saw raw materials like wool and plant fibers transformed through braiding, basketry, and weaving. As the Colombian representative of the World Crafts Council, Amaral traveled to Peru in 1969, where she remembers witnessing the “ancestral intelligence” and “unconscious high mathematics” in Andean textile culture. There, she encountered a Quechua woman “weaving an endless path . . . as easily as if she were breathing.” Amaral’s travels also brought her to France, Guatemala, Ireland, Japan, Morocco, the United States, and Venezuela. On these trips, she acquired work from fellow artists like ceramicist Seka Severin de Tudja (#s 32–33). Amaral later referred to her own materials as “clay-like cloth,” drawing an affinity between the basic elements used in textiles and ceramics.
25. Nudo panal (Diego) (Honeycomb Knot [Diego]), 2016 Linen, gesso, wool, and horsehair Numena Collection
This work consists of thick strands of horsehair, wool, and linen tied into a simple knot. It is part of Amaral’s Nudo (Knot) series, which explores textiles as a system for meaning-making. In traditional knotted textiles, a single knot functions as a repeatable unit within a structure that can be expanded on indefinitely to generate complex constructions. The series also reflects the artist’s long-term engagement with Andean textile traditions, including quipus. Often referred to as “talking knots,” quipus were arrangements of knotted strings used as recording devices and a method of communication during the Inca Empire (ca. 15th–16th centuries CE). Taking inspiration from this history, Amaral highlights how textiles can store, transmit, and generate ideas. 26. Tierra negra (Vestidura inconclusa de calicanto) (Black Earth [Incomplete Stone Wall Vestment]), 1979 Horsehair and wool Private Collection 27. Unidentified artist (Guatemalan) Banda bordada (Man’s belt), 20th century Handwoven brocaded cotton, silk, and ikat thread Artist’s private collection
Amaral became adept at weaving through lifelong study of the medium. During her travels she has examined and collected a wide range of textiles, baskets, and weaving tools. She is especially drawn to objects that reveal the creative possibilities of fiber through exceptional craftsmanship and intricate construction, such as this man’s woven belt from Guatemala (#27) or the nearby Moroccan handira shawl (#28). 28. Unidentified artist (Beni Ourain, Morocco) Handira (Shawl), early 20th century Hand-knotted wool Artist’s private collection 29. Lienzo primario II (Primary Canvas II), 1987 Linen, gesso, acrylic, and parchment Numena Collection 30. Vestidura de calicanto (Stone Wall Vestment), 1977 Wool, gesso, and horsehair Racine Art Museum, the Karen Johnson Boyd Collection
In Vestidura de calicanto (Stone Wall Vestment), strands interlace to form a continuous loop suspended between two support poles. For the middle section, the artist gathered bunches of fibers, covered them with a plasterlike substance called gesso, and then painted them an earthy red. Amaral created this work using sprang, a complex braiding technique used by the Paracas and Nasca cultures of ancient Peru. 31. Toshiko Takaezu (American, 1922–2011) Untitled, undated Ceramic Courtesy of Nancy and Ken Kranzberg 32. Seka Severin de Tudja (Venezuelan, born Yugoslavia, 1923–2007) Untitled, undated Glazed ceramic Artist’s private collection 33. Seka Severin de Tudja (Venezuelan, born Yugoslavia, 1923–2007) Untitled, undated Glazed ceramic Artist’s private collection
Although Amaral worked primarily with fiber, she was drawn to ceramic artists who approached clay with experimentation and a deep understanding of the material. One artist she collected was Yugoslaviaborn ceramist Seka Severin de Tudja, who emigrated to Venezuela and became known for hand modeling. In #s 32–33, Severin de Tudja layered glazes and used repeated firings to achieve depth in color and finish. Amaral also maintained a long friendship with American ceramicist Toshiko Takaezu. Through sculptural forms and multicolor glazes, Takaezu elevated functional vessels into contemplative works of art like #31. This particular work does not form part of Amaral's collection, although Amaral is a collector and admirer of Takaezu's ceramics. Like Amaral, Seka and Takaezu paired technical mastery with a willingness to challenge the conventions of craft, pushing the creative possibilities of color, form, and process. 34. Unidentified woman artist (Yanomami, Venezuela) Wïï (Basket), 20th century Palm fibers and natural pigment Artist’s private collection 35. Unidentified artist (Japanese) Basket, 20th century Bamboo and bark Artist’s private collection
Woven baskets are of particular interest to Amaral. Renowned for their technically innovative bamboo construction and artistic flair, Japanese baskets are both functional tools and sculptural objects see #35. Baskets made by the Yanomami people of the Amazon similarly reflect generations of knowledge, combining intricate patterns with locally sourced palm fibers see #34. Amaral reflected on her first encounter with Yanomami baskets: “I was fascinated by the compact straw basket-weave, the elemental enclosing shapes, . . . and especially by the large, scattered circular motifs with which [the Yanomami] decorated their baskets and their bodies. This simple act of
adornment revealed to me the unity they perceived between themselves, their objects, and their activities.” 36. Unidentified artist (Ye’kuana, Brazil or Venezuela) Wïwa (Carrying basket), 20th century Minñato Numena Collection 37. Rastros rojos (Red Traces), 1979 Horsehair and wool Courtesy of Yolanda Santos
To produce Rastros rojos (Red Traces), Amaral wove together thick cords. Their oversized scale makes the basic structure and mechanics of the weaving visible. Amaral has frequently returned to the kind of vivid red hues present in this work. She was, in part, inspired by the Yanomami people’s use of red pigment to adorn their baskets as well as their bodies during ceremonies. The work is supported by a wooden cattle yoke of the type used in the Colombian countryside. This choice reflects the artist’s appreciation of everyday farm tools for their practical designs and the way they evoke agricultural labor and rural traditions. 38. Boceto 03 (Sketch 03), 1975 Ink Numena Collection
Telas Amaral From 1957 to 2007, Amaral designed functional textiles and home furnishings for Telas Amaral (Amaral Fabrics), a design studio she cofounded with her husband, Jim Amaral. The firm grew out of custom textile commissions Amaral had been producing for interior design and architecture clients. Amaral’s sister Helena Ceballos and seven studio assistants eventually joined as collaborators, allowing Amaral to outsource parts of the weaving process and freeing her own time for design and experimentation. Telas Amaral products were made independently of her personal body of artwork and carried their own labels. This gallery shows a variety of Telas Amaral works, including furniture, cushions, upholstery fabric, and a hand-knotted rug. Olga and Jim Amaral layered furnishings, fiber art, and fabric in their studio and showroom to demonstrate how these pieces could work together in a home. Telas Amaral’s designs often used bright colors and Colombian materials like wool, horsehair, and guayacán wood. Early on, Telas Amaral also entered the fashion industry, making fabric for use by other designers. They eventually produced lines of women’s suits and dresses, as well as tunics called Mantas guajiras (Guajira Tunics).
Telas Amaral
Telas Amaral combined horsehair with materials such as wool, leather, and cowhide to create bold, textural designs (#s 44–48).
39. Telas Amaral Textile, ca. 1955–2007 Cotton and silk Numena Collection
45. Telas Amaral Carpet sample, ca. 1965–2007 Horsehair, wool, and cotton Numena Collection
40. Telas Amaral Textile, ca. 1955–2007 Acrylic and linen Numena Collection
46. Telas Amaral Carpet sample, ca. 1965–2007 Leather, horsehair, wool, and cotton Numena Collection
49. Telas Amaral Telas Amaral label, ca. 1955–2007 Synthetic Numena Collection
41. Telas Amaral Textile, ca. 1955–2007 Numena Collection
47. Telas Amaral Carpet sample, ca. 1965–2007 Leather, horsehair, wool, and cotton Numena Collection
50. Helena Ceballos (Colombian, 1931–2022) for Telas Amaral Mantas guajiras (Clotilde y Desdémona) (Guajira Tunics [Clotilde and Desdemona]), 1960s Colored pencil and ink on paper Numena Collection
42. Telas Amaral Textile, ca. 1955–2007 Numena Collection 43. Telas Amaral Textile, ca. 1955–2007 Numena Collection
Telas Amaral used looms to produce patterned and solid color fabrics like #s 39–43 for upholstering furniture. They were made from commercially dyed natural fibers like cotton, wool, and linen, as well as synthetic materials. Telas Amaral employed weave patterns that accentuated the materials’ unique properties, lending the fabrics different textures, sheens, and thicknesses. 44. Telas Amaral Carpet sample for San Marcos Akra, ca. 1965–2007 Horsehair and cotton Numena Collection
48. Telas Amaral Carpet sample for Kyoto extra piel II (Kyoto Extra Hide II), ca. 1965–2007 Horsehair, wool, cowhide, and cotton Numena Collection
By the 1960s, Telas Amaral had established a presence in Bogotá interiors. It was not unusual for Colombian homes to be furnished with the studio’s curtains, rugs, pillows, and blankets. Area rugs, like #66 across the gallery, were among their most sought-after products. While early examples included hooked rugs, made by pulling fibers through the openings of a gridded framework, production later evolved to focus on handwoven designs made from locally available materials, as in #66. Many incorporated horsehair, valued for its durability, resilience, coarse texture, and natural sheen. On view here are carpet samples that demonstrate how
51. Helena Ceballos (Colombian, 1931–2022) for Telas Amaral Mantas guajiras (Caleidoscopio y Matilde) (Guajira Tunics [Kaleidoscope and Matilde]), 1960s Colored pencil and ink on paper Numena Collection
52. Model in a Manta guajira (Guajira Tunic), ca. 1970s Photographic reproduction © Archivo Casa Amaral Photo: Hernán Díaz 53. Helena Ceballos (Colombian, 1931–2022) for Telas Amaral Mantas guajiras (Bachué y Nocturno) (Guajira Tunics [Bachué and Nocturnal]), 1960s Colored pencil and ink on paper Numena Collection 54. Telas Amaral advertisement—Colombian Style, Decora magazine, 1995 Photographic reproduction © Phot. Diego Amaral Ceballos © Archivo Casa Amaral 55. Telas Amaral Telas Amaral label, ca. 1955–2007 Synthetic Numena Collection 56. Helena Ceballos (Colombian, 1931–2022) for Telas Amaral Mantas guajiras (Libélula y La gaviota) (Guajira Tunics [Dragonfly and Seagull]), 1960s Colored pencil and ink on paper Numena Collection 57. Model in a Manta guajira (Guajira Tunic) and jewelry by Ligia Ceballos, ca. 1970s Photographic reproduction © Archivo Casa Amaral 58. Helena Ceballos (Colombian, 1931–2022) for Telas Amaral Mantas guajiras (Cleopatra y Alejandra) (Guajira Tunics [Cleopatra and Alejandra]), 1960s Colored pencil and ink on paper Numena Collection 59. Model in a Manta guajira (Guajira Tunic) and jewelry by Ligia Ceballos, ca. 1970s Photographic reproduction © Archivo Casa Amaral 60. Telas Amaral showroom Photographic reproduction © Phot. Diego Amaral Ceballos © Archivo Casa Amaral
61. Telas Amaral Manta guajira (Fedra) (Guajira Tunic [Fedra]), ca. 1965–1980 Textile Courtesy of Sisters of St. Francis, Rochester, MN
Introduced in the 1960s, Telas Amaral’s Mantas guajiras, like #61, were inspired by garments of the Indigenous Wayuu people of Colombia’s northern coast. Telas Amaral produced more than one hundred designs, with Amaral’s sister Helena Ceballos creating the drawings for each piece (see #s 50–51, 53, 56, and 58). Telas Amaral presented the garments in dozens of fashion shows across Colombia, and in photographs (see #s 52, 57, and 59) where women modeled them barefoot, striking exuberant poses. Animated by movement and texture, the Mantas reveal Amaral’s sensitivity to the body and the expressive potential of materials. They also incorporate dramatic silhouettes and fringe that echo the sculptural qualities of Amaral’s woven works from the same period. 62. Textile, ca. 1955–2007 Cotton, linen, and polyester Numena Collection
Olga de Amaral’s assistants wove rolls of fabric similar to this one from mostly undyed fibers to be cut into rectangles and strips, and then woven, sewn, and braided into Amaral’s fiber art. 63. Telas Amaral Textile, ca. 1955–2007 Cotton and jute Numena Collection 64. Jim Amaral (American Colombian, b. 1933) Mesa de guayacán (Guayacán Table), 1969 Guayacán wood Numena Collection
Jim Amaral, Olga de Amaral’s husband and lifelong creative partner, is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans sculpture, drawing, and furniture design. The two met while studying at Cranbrook Academy of Art in the mid1950s and married in 1957. Income from Telas Amaral supported both of their practices. While Olga developed textile commissions, Jim assisted at the
looms and produced furniture. Though they represented a smaller part of Telas Amaral’s production, Jim’s furniture designs demonstrate the studio’s broader interest in modern interiors and material-driven design using hardwoods native to the Americas. 65. Telas Amaral Flores, serie 102 (Flowers, Series 102), 1989 Wool and horsehair DC Family Collection
This work is from a limited series of decorative wall hangings developed for Telas Amaral, which offered pieces akin to Amaral’s larger works at a more accessible price point. The series referenced the materials and structural compositions of some of the artist’s weavings from the 1970s. Suspended cords are arranged in layered rows, each tightly wrapped with colorful threads to create structure through accumulation, tension, and weight. The ends of the cords are turned back and bound in beige wool yarn, forming bulbous caps. 66. Telas Amaral Rug, ca. 2000s Wool and horsehair Numena Collection 67. Dress and jacket in Telas Amaral fabric, ca. 1966 Wool The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of Jane Safer, 2018 68. Telas Amaral Horse pillow, ca. 1966 Wool The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of Jane Safer, 2018 69. Telas Amaral Pillow, ca. 1990 Cotton; woven fabric Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Gift of Nobuko Kajitani, 98.243.3
Experiments in Form & Material
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Amaral refined techniques that would come to define her mature practice. Beginning in the 1970s, she worked with thin strips woven from a signature blend of cotton and linen she described as “claylike cloth”—a material with both strength and flexibility. More than perhaps any other fiber artist of her generation, Amaral embraced the idea of using modular, repeatable units to generate seemingly endless formal possibilities. Amaral also continued to create sculptural forms with larger woven strips in various materials. By twisting and rotating the strips, she created fluid surfaces that occupy space differently than her earlier, denser works. When hung side by side in upright rows, the strips produce shifting effects of transparency and light reminiscent of the gauzy textiles Amaral collected throughout her travels. In 1970, Amaral visited the London studio of ceramic artist Lucie Rie, where she observed Rie’s use of gold. The experience sparked the artist’s decades-long engagement with metals. Amaral was drawn to gold’s associations with purity and transformation. She also connected the material to the precolonial South American cultures for whom gold held profound artistic, ceremonial, and spiritual significance.
70. Vestidura inconclusa 5A (Incomplete Vestment 5A), 1980 Linen, gesso, acrylic, and gold leaf Numena Collection
To compose this work, Amaral first wove bands from linen thread on a loom. She then used those bands as the weft (horizontal structure) in a new weaving. She began using this technique widely in the 1970s, and by the 1980s, these pre-woven strips had become the foundational building blocks for much of her work. In most cases, once a weaving was completed, she applied a plaster-like substance called gesso, as well as acrylic paint and other media, to the surface. Vestidura inconclusa 5A (Incomplete Vestment 5A) is a rare instance in which Amaral left the surface largely untouched, making the basic structure that underlies much of her mature work clearly visible. 71. Alquimia XVII (Alchemy XVII), 1984 Linen, gesso, and gold leaf Collection Cranbrook Art Museum; Gift of Olga de Amaral, Courtesy of The Allrich Gallery, San Francisco
72. Fragmento completo #9 (Complete Fragment #9), 1975 Linen, gold filé, horsehair, and paint The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of The Textile Arts Club, 1978.29.
In Fragmento completo #9 (Complete Fragment #9), a woven linen and gold filé fragment sits atop a square rosegold surface. The artist started making works like this after purchasing a vase made and later repaired by ceramicist Lucie Rie, who used gold to mend its broken seams following the centuriesold Japanese practice of kintsugi (#73). According to Amaral, “[Rie] considered fixing to be an act of love and respect. This use of gold touched a mysterious place in my mind. Four years later . . . I started using gold leaf in a small group of pieces that I called Complete Fragments. From then on, gold became an important material in my work.” 73. Lucie Rie (British, born Austria, 1902– 1995) Untitled, undated Ceramic and gold leaf Artist’s private collection 74. Alquimia Herci 007 (Herci Alchemy 007), 2016 Linen, gesso, acrylic, and gold leaf Numena Collection
The earliest works in Amaral’s Alquimia (Alchemy) series were based on the proportions of the human figure, inspired by a gold mantle that Amaral saw in Peru’s Gold Museum. Amaral associates gold with the skilled precolonial metalwork of Indigenous peoples like the Muisca of the Colombian Andes, as well as the elaborate altars of the colonial-era churches she attended as a child. 75. Unidentified artist (Chinese) Changfu (Robe), late 19th–early 20th centuries Damask-woven silk gauze Artist’s private collection
Amaral collected this Chinese changfu, or man’s robe, which features a moiré effect. The effect was created by pressing the fibers of the textile slightly out of alignment to produce a rippling, light-sensitive surface. The
artist explored similar optical effects in Entorno quieto 4 (Still Surroundings 4) (#79). She created long woven strips made of horsehair and wool and turned them so the thinner sides of the bands, rather than their flat sides, faced forward. The uneven surfaces of the natural fibers soften the outlines of the work’s circular composition in contrasting black and orange. 76. Tierra y fibra #5 (Earth and Fiber #5), 1988 Horsehair and wool Collection of Charlotte and Herbert S. Wagner III 77. Riscos y tiempo (Ridges and Time), 1984 Wool and horsehair The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, The Leatrice S. and Melvin B. Eagle Collection, gift of Leatrice and Melvin Eagle, 2010.2262 78. Lienzo ceremonial 8 (Ceremonial Canvas 8), 1989 Linen, cotton, gesso, and acrylic Numena Collection
With her Lienzo ceremonial (Ceremonial Canvas) series, Amaral continued to develop textile constructions that did not require any weaving. To make this work from the series, she created a backing from horizontal rods wrapped in red linen. She then affixed layers of interlaced linen threads to the top, allowing them to hang down. She hand-painted each strand of linen with gesso and black acrylic paint, making the delicate fibers thicker and more rigid. The work’s title speaks to Amaral’s interest in the role of textiles in ritual and spiritual life across many cultures. 79. Entorno quieto 4 (Still Surroundings 4), 1993 Horsehair and wool Private collection
Infinite Possibilities
From the late 1980s on, Amaral made some of her most experimental fiber work, devising techniques and selecting materials to maximize her creativity and artistic freedom. In this era, she focused on incorporating pre-woven elements, as well as individual fibers, paint, gold leaf, paper, and a plaster-like substance called gesso. In the works on view here, Amaral blurred the boundaries between painting, sculpture, and fiber art. She introduced thick layers of gesso that strengthened her woven structures. This technique was inspired by the earthen and plaster materials of traditional Colombian houses. Amaral also used gesso to create three-dimensional effects in her works or smooth over their warp and weft structures, leaving prepared surfaces on which to paint. Around this time, Amaral minimized her use of dyed thread. Instead, she incorporated color by painting over textile strips or individual cotton threads that were stiffened with gesso and hung in dense groupings. The addition of gold leaf and strong but transparent Japanese rice paper in some works extended Amaral’s investigations of light and luminosity—qualities she associates with eternity, mystery, and transformation. Transcending the limitations of the loom toward a freer use of color, form, and texture, Amaral pursued methods that offered infinite possibilities.
80. Poblado G (Town G), 2015 Linen, gesso, acrylic, Japanese paper, and gold leaf Numena Collection
With Poblado G (Town G), Amaral combined multiple techniques to create a composition that evokes the Colombian landscape. With rectangular strips of linen, the artist constructed a gridded patchwork across areas of the textile. She has compared this pattern to the arrangement of small Colombian villages nestled among forested mountains. To evoke the surrounding topography, she organized narrow rows of linen squares into undulating lines. Their gold surface catches the light at varying angles, giving the illusion of depth. 81. Cenit 3 (Zenith 3), 2019 Linen, gesso, Japanese paper, and acrylic Private collection 82. Boceto (Sketch), ca. 2010 Watercolor Numena Collection 83. Marea azul (Blue Tide), 2016 Linen, gesso, acrylic, Japanese paper, and gold leaf Numena Collection
84. Strata XV, 2009 Linen, gesso, acrylic, and gold leaf Courtesy of Arte Collectum
Working with ready-to-use strips sewn from overlapping textile squares allowed Amaral to approach the composition of Strata XV with a spirit of creativity and improvisation. Amaral said “plaiting, weaving, and joining the different golden strands, strips and, cords allowed me to curve, bend, and drape gold freely.” The flowing and twisting patterns that result from this method are supported by a sophisticated system of stitches visible on the back of the work. By coating her materials in gold leaf on the front, and painting them blue on the back, Amaral draws attention to the reverse and invites viewers to appreciate the work from different angles. 85. Policromo II (Polychrome II), 2011 Linen, gesso, acrylic, and gold leaf Courtesy of Elissa Cahn 86. Montaña 002 (Mountain 002), 1989 Linen, gesso, acrylic, Japanese paper, parchment paper, and gold leaf Private collection
Amaral created the faceted surface of Montaña 002 (Mountain 002), which resembles a mosaic, by interweaving strips of linen and sewing on squares of parchment and Japanese paper. Over this, she painted colors that transition from red and pink to gold. The effect recalls the natural iridescence of mother-of-pearl, reflecting the artist’s interest in optical phenomena that depend on both illumination and the viewer’s perspective. According to Amaral, “The objective of my creations is sensitive perception, which is subjective and depends on individual experiences. . . . Because of this, the viewer’s contact with my work is very important to me, as is the context in which it is shown.” 87. Sol trenzado (Plaited Sun), 2016 Linen, gesso, and acrylic The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Gift of the artist, 2021.105
88. Sol blanco 10 (White Sun 10), 1994 Linen, gesso, acrylic, and Japanese paper, laid on canvas Collection of Kaeli Deane and Chris Beals
A golden sun hangs low over the horizon in this landscape painting made on interwoven linen strips covered in gesso. Amaral has described how her use of gesso evolved in the 1990s: “I started whitewashing with gesso to cover and fill the spaces left in the weaving—to stiffen, smooth, cleanse, and give body to the units, to heighten the sensation of austerity and to prepare and protect each one. . . . I found that gesso and stucco allowed me to create inscriptions and basreliefs of different simple geometric figures such as suns, spirals, circles, and squares that enriched the meaning of these surfaces and endowed them with a timeless quality, like glyphs and inscriptions do to stones.” 89. Cesta lunar 4 (Moon Basket 4), 1988 Linen, gesso, acrylic, and gold leaf Collection of Kaeli Deane and Chris Beals 90. Dos oros y fósil (Two Golds and Fossil), 2007 Ink and gold leaf Numena Collection 91. Fósil IV (Fossil IV), 2008 Ink and gold leaf Numena Collection
A golden cube and circle form ripples in the drawing Dos oros y fósil (Two Golds and Fossil) (#90). The nautilus shell spirals of Fósil IV (Fossil IV) (#91) overlap with rectangular patches of black crosshatching, similar to the intersecting warp and weft of textiles. Amaral may have used gold in these drawings to evoke a sense of timelessness. She has said, “To me, gold is eternal, is transparent, is light, is shadow, mystery.” The forms she uses in these works—ripples, spirals, and fossils—also suggest continuity and the infinite.
Bruma A1 (Mist A1) 92. Bruma A1 (Mist A1), 2018 Linen, cotton, gesso, acrylic, Japanese paper, and wood Loaned courtesy of Lisson Gallery
In her Bruma (Mist) series, Amaral freed the thread from the loom. Individual strands cascade downward in a dense grouping, hanging uninterrupted in space. As you move around the work and beneath it, geometric shapes come in and out of view as if seen through the “mist” that the title suggests. To create this optical effect, the artist covered thousands of cotton strands in gesso and acrylic paint. This method of applying color is important for Amaral, who said it enabled her to “dissolve the geometry imposed by the rigid structure of warp and weft.”