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White Dwarf

A work made of silk, moriche palm fiber, alpaca, metalized synthetic film wrapped thread (gold and silver), and metalized synthetic film strip (silver); plain weave, multi-layer cloth.

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  • A work made of silk, moriche palm fiber, alpaca, metalized synthetic film wrapped thread (gold and silver), and metalized synthetic film strip (silver); plain weave, multi-layer cloth.

Date:

2016

Artist:

María Eugenia Dávila (Venezuelan, born 1966)
Eduardo Portillo (Venezuelan, born 1966)

About this artwork

White Dwarf uses four types of thread: smooth silk, rough palm fiber, shiny metal thread, and matte alpaca wool. Collaborators María Dávila and Eduardo Portillo deftly combined these raw materials to create a multilayered weaving in which each material symbolizes a different aspect of the artists’ experiences studying textile-making.

A white dwarf star is an extremely dense star that burns white-hot as it collapses on itself. The weaving belongs to a series of works that Dávila and Portillo call an “imagined cosmos,” which also includes meditations on the seasons and times of the day.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Textiles

Artists

María Eugenia Dávila , Eduardo Portillo

Title

White Dwarf

Places

Venezuela (Object made in), South America (Object made in)

Date

Made 2016

Medium

Silk, moriche palm fiber, alpaca, metalized synthetic film wrapped thread (gold and silver), and metalized synthetic film strip (silver); plain weave, multi-layer cloth

Dimensions

184.2 × 125.1 cm (72 1/2 × 49 1/4 in.)

Credit Line

Nicole Williams Contemporary Latin American Textile Fund

Reference Number

2023.2892

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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