Before the ARTECH Travelling Exhibition’s first stop in Madrid, let us present some of the highlights:

SURROUNDING ME

(wool, 2022, residency in Spain)

Artists: Larisa Petcuț & Ioana Andrei

This work tries to put together recognisable elements and places from Tronchón, Spain, from its surrounding landscape to local architecture, like a hallmark of this village. These artists look for integrating a piece of Tronchón’s architecture while they are using natural earthy colours.

The main goal is reproducing the richness of the village’s stones that have been marked by the stay of time. At the same time, the landscape is reflected in this work through several shadows of green used in the foreground.

The shape of this work is intentional, resembling a blanket that can surround the spectator and provide them comfort and protection, stating the fact that in a similar way, Tronchón has been over time offering a welcoming and caring home to its people.

ÇILIMI

(nails, wool strings, 2021, residency in Albania)

Artist: Fatbardh Kabashi

Combining the culture and tradition of Gjirokastra carpets through the technique of ‘String Art’ or the ‘Art of Knitting’, the artist turned a carpet into a wall decor in the assembly of 1000 nails. In the artist’s conception, this number shows the distant past of the city of Gjirokastra, in order to show that the values of the past must always be preserved, united with the modern and reworked, giving a new spirit to traditional culture. The artist analysed various motifs utilised in the local productions and used wool strings to complete his work.