Born in the border town of Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, in 1979, Lorenzo Hurtado grew up in a culture of craftsmanship. With modest incomes, many of the people in his community learned how to make things to survive, from the garments they wore to the houses they lived in. His mother was a knitter who made all the family’s clothes. His weavings reflect his heritage, but also serve as expanded commentary on indigenous traditions.
In his Papel Tejido (Woven Paper), Lorenzo takes paper and paints and transforms them into sculptural textiles. He begins with blank sheets of paper, which he paints on both sides with figurative or non-representational imagery. He then painstakingly weaves the double-sided slips of paper by hand, drawing on traditions of basket weaving, Scottish tartan design, and abstract painting. The resulting piece has two faces, urging the viewer to behold it in the round as a sculpture. Lorenzo uses the most elemental form of weaving, recognizing its presence in different communities worldwide as an expression of universality.
