WHAT IS AN ARPILLERA?
Setting the Context:
On September 11, 1973, General Augusto Pinochet led a dramatic US CIA supported coup to take over Chile’s democratically elected president Salvador Allende. In the following months, many so-called subversive Chilean citizens who supported Salvador Allende were murdered or were taken abruptly in forced disappearances. These desaparecidos (the missing ones) were primarily males. They left behind wives, mothers, and sisters who were not only worried about their missing loved ones, but now they also had to find a way to support themselves and their remaining family members (Williams, 2011).
What is a Chilean Arpillera and its Significance:
In English, the Spanish word "arpillera" translates to "burlap". This powerful art form originated in Chile as an expression of grief and protest females used to express themselves during the oppressive dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990). The arpillera art form is created by three-dimensional quilts that are usually about 12" x 18" or the size of a traditional placemat. Although some artists have made their arpilleras smaller or considerably larger. However, many of these arpilleras consist of modest, inexpensive materials. They are then attached to the cloth backing to create the small appliquéd and embroidered wall hangings that are known as apilleras.
Often times the appliquéd and embroidered material is made from burlap or grain sacks. The arpillera imagery is then created by sewing into the burlap or grain sacks and the use of bright cotton dress fabrics or wool. Sometimes the designs on arpilleras are made with additions like tiny pots or fruits and vegetables which are created from painted clay. The appliqués are often bordered at the ends by simple stitches such as by chain stitch, cross stitch or blanket stitch. This is done by using cotton embroidery floss of various colors. Personal innovations from the artist makes each arpillera a unique piece. Therefore, a woman might cut a lock of her own hair to decorate a figure or snip a piece of fabric from her own skirt to get the right color. Overall, Chilean arpilleras became a means of advocating political change and giving women a voice for a means to advocate justice and freedom in a traditional Machismo society (Sirch, 2016).
The Catholic Church's Influence on the Chilean Arpillera:
During the Pinochet Dictatorship, the Catholic Church provided several workshops to teach the women useful skills such as sewing, laundry, and the like. One of these workshop instructors was an artist named Valentina Bonne. She recognized that many of the women were too upset with grief to learn anything. Therefore, she encouraged the women to instead express their emotions through needlework and sewing; which later became known as the arpillera art form. The women worked together in co-operative groups to make and sell their arpilleras. Because of the Catholic church workshops, the arpillera art form was born, and the women of Chile were able to say what they could not say in words about the Pinochet Dictatorship (Sirch, 2016).