Trochas: 20 mil pesos

The Unreadable Fabric of Migration

Year: 2019

Materials: Mercerized cotton.

Dimensions: 32” x 98”

Location: Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Lima

"Trochas: 20 mil pesos" is a hand-woven textile created on a TC2 digital jacquard loom. This tool created a complex weaving pattern to embed text into the fabric, a process unachievable by traditional weaving methods. The piece's weft spans the length of an average "trocha," the informal roads often used for crossing the border between Venezuela and Colombia on the way to Peru.

The title “Trochas: 20 mil pesos” reflects the transactional nature of border crossings, underscoring the troubling reduction of significant personal challenges to mere financial transactions within a system that commodifies movement and human lives.

Crucially, the artwork was featured in the "Migrant Chronicles" exhibition in Lima, an initiative to connect Venezuelan migrants' experiences with the Peruvian community. This exhibition provides a platform for collaborative dialogue, fostering a more profound understanding of migrant experiences and facilitating educational workshops, interactive discussions, and storytelling sessions —a conduit for empathy, understanding, and support.

The artwork features text from social media, specifically posts by the "Venezolanos en Cúcuta" Facebook group, which documents Venezuelan migrants' experiences. Viewed from a distance, the text is a discernible element of the pattern, suggesting the presence of countless individual stories. However, as one draws closer, the text blurs, a metaphor for the loss of personal detail in the overwhelming narrative of mass migration.

In essence, "Trochas: 20 mil pesos" transcends its physical form as a woven textile to become an active participant in the "Migrant Chronicles" exhibition. It not only presents a stark visual commentary on the complexities of migration but also engages in a broader, ongoing effort to forge connections and support the integration of Venezuelan migrants in Peru.

Project Process

The making of 'Trochas: 20 mil pesos' involved gathering varied digital materials—photographs, Google Maps screenshots, and text posted by users on the Facebook group Venezolanos en Cúcuta. These elements determined the weft's length and pattern. After converting the text into a digital file for the TC2 loom, it was possible to hand-weave the intricate fabric.

Short movement exercise

Instructions

There are innumerable ways of walking, but perhaps the easiest, most reasonable one is slowly.

A light walk. No weights, no phones.

To walk, the first and most important thing is to be standing, as it seems there is no better method.

Also, one must keep upright at all times, with your feet slightly separated and, preferably, trying to keep your balance.

Start by gently lifting one foot off the ground, raising your knee enough to be able to move it forward.

Make sure the other foot is left at a distance, supporting the weight of your body.

Place the other foot on the ground, and lift your other foot softly, bending it towards your toes and then moving it forward.

Make sure the weight of your body is supported by at least one foot on the ground.

Placing your foot backward, sideways, lower, or higher will result in imminent failure.

Do not worry. Failure is also an outcome. You can start over.

Repeat as often as necessary to reach any destination.

Please trip, shake, or drag as necessary.