Silk Cocoons Re-Discovered
In the 1940s,
representatives of
the Mexican government
arrived in towns
in the Sierra Juarez
with seedlings of mulberry trees;
a number of years later
they returned with silkworms.
In this way,
the craft of weaving silk
was revived in the sierra.
SILK COCOONS REDISCOVERED
For decades,
the family of Esperanza has raised silkworms,
spun silk from the cocoons,
and woven silk rebozos,
working for months to create a single,
extraordinary piece.
As a child,
Esperanza collected cast-off cocoons
that could not be used for weaving
and fashioned whimsical animals.
Now,
out of these same cocoons,
she creates jewelry and other objects
of incredible intricacy and breadth.
During Oax-i-fornia’s workshop,
the explorations centered around
the luminescence in the material,
as well as collaborations
with her siblings through work
that brings harmony to weaving,
macramé and cocoons.
From these experiments emerge
diaphanous, seemingly impermanent pieces,
like subtle memories of her prodigious hands
and impeccably trained eyes,
pushing the boundaries of
the material and its qualities.
Photos and text: Courtesy of Oax-i-fornia
