Arte textil y narrativas de vida

Abstract

The aging of the population and the urban transformations in the locality of Usaquén highlight the need to create spaces that strengthen cultural participation, a sense of belonging, and the collective memory of older adults, while also recognizing the immense value of ancestral practices—such as the role of textile work in building community and fostering personal well-being. In response to this need, this project aimed to create a community-based art laboratory that utilized textile art and the life narratives of older adults to strengthen these processes within Usaquén. Employing a qualitative research-creation approach, the project developed a laboratory consisting of five participatory sessions focused on memory exercises, creative exploration, sketching, and the production of both individual and community textile artworks. Preliminary results demonstrated that textile art fostered spaces for dialogue, exchange, and mutual support—reminiscent of traditional sewing circles—thereby encouraging the emergence of family and emotional memories closely linked to the participants' experiences of the local territory and their own life stories. The experience revealed the significant potential of textile art as a vital tool for community building, memory preservation, and older adult cultural participation, as well as the connection between territorial memory and emotional memory within the narratives constructed during the laboratory.