Publisher's Synopsis
A reference book on artist Olga de Amaral. Gathering around a hundred works as well as many archive photographs, it retraces the evolution of her practice over time and the major role she played in the revolution of Fiber Art.
Olga de Amaral is an emblematic figure of the Colombian art scene and of Fiber Art. Unclassifiable, her work borrows as much from the Modernist principles, as from her cultural heritage and traditional Colombian weaving techniques. A contemporary of Magdalena Abakanowicz and Sheila Hicks, she participated in the revolution of Fiber Art in the 1960s and 1970s.
Amaral's hand-woven works combine natural fibers, paint, plaster, and precious metals, and reflect her interest in architecture and geometry. While her early works featured geometric motifs and bright colors, those of the 1970s marked the start of her research on three-dimensionality with works that free themselves from the wall to invade space. She then returned to a more human and intimate scale, with colors inspired by Colombian landscapes.
From October 2024 to March 2025, the Fondation Cartier unveils the full richness and power of Amaral's art in her first major retrospective in Europe. Bringing together historical works never presented outside Colombia, as well as contemporary pieces with vibrant shapes and colors, the exhibition highlights the artist's career-long experimentation with materials, scale, and three-dimensionality.
Contributions from Ann Coxon, Curator of International Art at Tate Modern and textile art specialist, Marìa Wills Londoño, curator at the Banco de la República, Bogotá, and Marie Perennès, curator of the exhibition, tell the story of Olga de Amaral, contextualize her work within the local and international textile art scene, and analyze the themes that run through her art.
