Xibalba Level 1, 2022
I have always been fascinated by everything that has to do with textiles. The history of textiles is almost as old as that of man. Fabrics must have existed as early as the Stone Age. Textiles have evolved in many directions since then. This brings with it an incredible wealth of craft techniques and cultural heritage. - Constanza Camila Kramer Garfias (2022)
The critical examination of textiles appears in the foreground as the medium of Kramer Garfias work and is also a reflection of her cultural roots. In her works she reanimates the history and culture of her ancestors, the native Mapuche people living in Chile, to show the importance of their culture and their understanding of the Cosmos. Through her engagement with theories of postcolonialism and her bicultural background, she has developed artistic methods to deconstruct colonial structures in textiles. Her works are about taking textiles to their limits as a medium and subject, combining both artisanal and industrial techniques. Through her works, she aims to transform the traditional perception of textiles in western societies and to find a new voice for textiles in the visual arts.