A Boi
A boi, is an ongoing series of textile pieces born from encounters between William and Ana María in a town full of weaving knowledge: Cucunubá, Colombia. They exchange know-how and share different perspectives on craft and contemporary design. By reviewing the traditional ways of making the textiles they reinforce this ancient knowledge in the present time. The result is a series of timeless textiles. Every piece has a special rhythm and mix of color manufactured with the best alpaca quality. Made in-between Belgium and Colombia
Year · Since 2019 to this day
Technique · Weaving
A: I.pron. clí. Prefijo de tercera persona. Third person conjugation
Boi: s. Manta (vestido prehispánico). Plaid (pre-Hispanic “dress”)
A boi: his or her A boi it means her or his plaid in Muisca language.
This was the language spoken by the people in the region around
Bogotá before and after colonial times, now not anymore. Back then,
textiles were very precious craft. The Indigenous used it as barter; they
had the same value as gold. The storytelling tradition of this region
recounts that it was Bochica, the main god of the Muisca people, who
taught them to spin and weave plaids.
I started this textile collaboration with William some years ago, he
is an extremely talented handicraft artisan from a small town near
Bogotá in the altiplano Cundiboyasense of Colombia: Cucunubá,
Cundinamarca. There he has a studio. This town owns a long-lasting
tradition of textile making. Together with William we sit down by the
loom and experiment with the traditional elements that constitute
the textile iconography of this place since pre-colonial times. We
basically weave together, for days. We meet to exchange know-how
and share different perspectives on how craft and contemporary
design may intersect. We look together at the traditional iconography
and weaving structures of his region, and we twist and reinterpret
these graphic symbols to create a new perception of them and how
we interpret them.
For me it’s extremely important to have a clear, close and fair working
relationship with William, with a lot of respect for each other’s
knowledge and opinions. We both settle our conditions in a nonhierarchic
and horizontal way. A boi is an ongoing series of timeless
textile pieces, that recall and rethink the past, bringing new questions
to the present. Every piece is unique and has a special rhythm and
mix of colour. The material used in the textiles, consist of a very
high-quality alpaca that comes from Peru. The alpaca has beautiful
properties like adaptation to body temperature and very kind touch.
Pictures by © Alexandra Colmenares Cossio
Production process
Our process begins with a shared dialogue. Sitting side by side at the loom, we engage in an exchange of knowledge and ideas. William brings his expertise in traditional weaving techniques, while I contribute a contemporary perspective on design and aesthetics. Together, we reinterpret the graphic symbols and weaving structures that have defined this region since pre-colonial times. This collaborative approach allows us to twist and reimagine these elements, creating textiles that are both rooted in history and relevant to the present.
