MAXIMO LAURA: A TAPESTRY ARTIST FROM PERU

Abstract

There are cultural traces of many civilizations in Peruvian territory. Looking at the historical examples in terms of textile, we encounter a rich textile history with the use of vivid colors and figurative expressions. These textiles with pictorial expressions are considered as the first examples of Tapestry weavings. The reason why weaving artist Maximo Laura was chosen as the subject in this study is that the artist is nourished by the values of the land he was raised in and reflects his own culture in contemporary art works with original expressions. By combining the traditional production method of tapestry rug weaving with the technique developed by himself, strong use of colors and figurative expressions, he has become internationally recognized and accepted. In this research, in addition to the verbal and written communication with Maximo Laura, many sources were reviewed, the articles and exhibition catalogs published in the international field were examined, the data obtained from the Maximo Laura Museum archive, which contains the works and information of the artist, were evaluated, and this study was completed. The traditional techniques used by the artist and the weaving forms developed by him were discussed in detail, the colors and symbolic approaches he used, the new and different applications he made, and his future thoughts were discussed with him. The aim is; to convey the artist from all aspects, who produces and has international recognition, to the reader who is interested in different textile fields, to establish a bridge between cultures while introducing today's tapestry art, artist's works and world view in the context of Peruvian culture. Keywords: Maximo Laura, Tapestry, Peruvian Textiles, Andean Textiles