The Festival of The Images in The Andes
'Pacha in textiles' showcase.
Hanaq Pacha, times of glory. The broken lines allow the sunlight to shine through. Wrap-around dress (axsu), textile. . Macha, Potosí, Bolivia, present day. Colección Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, 3943 (665 x 372 mm).
Kay Pacha, the activities of this world. Wrap-around dress (axsu), textile. Tarabuco, Chuquisaca, Bolivia, present day. Colección Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, 3944 (1320 x 695 mm).
Ukhu Pacha, the world within. Wrap-around dress (axsu), textile. Jalq’a, Chuquisaca, Bolivia, present day. Colección Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, 2623 (1060 x 705 mm).
Pacha in textiles
The first textile shows hanaq pacha, the space-time associated with the world above, the heavens, where the deities, the stars, the sun and the rainbow live. As it is a space of clarity and light, in the textile each band and abstract design are clearly visible, although there are no figurative representations. The next textile, in contrast, represents kay pacha, the world of the present, and depicts the daily activities of an Andean community, such as herding, festivities and rituals. The last one, represents ukhu pacha, the inner world or underworld, and in it the contrasting black and red colors and the absence of light make it difficult to see exactly where the figures begin and end.