INTRODUCTION / DESCRIPTION

Ancient and imbued with a unique emotional weight, «baetones» or «frezadones» have long been a maternal love offering. These blankets, handed down by the weavers to their children upon leaving home, they are a distinctive artisanal product among the textile productions of Santiago del Estero province. The SachaMama Weavers revive and preserve their community’s tradition, passing it down through generations, recognizing and safeguarding the heritage they hold.

This contest is an invitation for collaborative work between contestants and the SachaMama weavers. Three images from the submissions will be selected for reinterpretation using traditional stick loom weaving techniques. This method allows for color to be partitioned such that both the front and back are equally represented. Each loom is unique, thereby imprinting its character onto the resulting piece. Throughout its history, this type of weaving has been influenced by various sources, blending andean rural tradition with elements of creole and victorian european styles, including rococo and medieval influences. Over time, it has developed its own iconography and identity.

The contest proposes an encounter between imaginaries and techniques that stages a collective symbolic construction, simultaneously expanding the boundaries of this ancient form of representation. It highlights the adaptation of artistic projects based on the craftsmanship and experience of the artisan. Amorada opened its doors in June 2023. This contest represents for us a celebration of this beginning, fostering poetic encounters between artists and weavers, inventing new ways of embracing art, much like the baetón, an artistic space that envelops artworks and allows itself to be enveloped by them.

CRONOGRAMA

LAUNCH
Until August 3, 2024 – Exhibition of three groups of baetones:
– Five baetones by the SachaMama teleras group.
– Three baetones by Verónica Ryan made in collaboration with Santos Guzmán, Irma Guzmán and Pilar Orellana from the SachaMama group. Verónica worked alongside the teleras in San José del Boquerón in the re-interpretation of one of her works, which belongs to the series Jardín de flores subterráneas (Underground flower garden), and then intervening part of the threads in her studio. Shared knowledge that bring different languages ​​into dialogue.
. Nine baetones from the beginning of the 20th century. XX., private collection.
We also screened the documentary How Flowers Get to Fabrics by Constanza Martínez, made with the contribution of cultural patronage.

INSCRIPTION
The registration form is now available on the Amorada website and there is time to complete it and register until October 30, 2024.

ASSESSMENT
The jury, made up of a representative of the SachaMama teleras group, Chiachio & Giannone, Luján Cambariere, Constanza Martínez and Amorada will work to select three from the images presented (one for each contestant). The projects chosen in this stage will be winners in the same hierarchy.

REALIZATION
December 6, 2024 – The jury’s decision will be announced through email, website (www.amorada.com.ar) and social networks. The three winning proposals will be materialized by the SachaMama teleras, who will assign a weaver who will weave 1 (one) baetón for each winning proposal. An exchange process will begin between weavers and artists. If necessary and within our possibilities, an Amorada representative will act as an interpreter. The exchange process must be completed within the stipulations required by the Baetón Contest regulations.

AWARDS AND EXHIBITION

There will be time to finish the baetón until March 2025. Evaluating each baetón in their final resolution, the first, second and third prize will be selected, which will be announced in the context of an exhibition in Amorada.

– For more details see the Regulations

JURY

Submissions will be judged by a jury of 5 (five) members. Their decision will be final. If, due to force majeure or any other reason, a jury member cannot fulfill their duties, Amorada will appoint a replacement. Participants may not object to or challenge jury members. The jury reserves the right to explain its decisions.

1. At least 1 (one) Grupo Teleras SachaMama (SachaMama geavers group) representative
2. Chiachio & Giannone, Argentine visual artists
3. Luján Cambariere, journalist and curator specializing in crafts and design
4. Constanza Martínez, head of the textile area at Fundación IDA. Independent curator
5. Amorada

REFERENCES

1) Labores Magazine, embroidery flower grid used to this day by the SachaMama  weavers on the loom, circa 1950. 
2 y 3) Examples of flower grids.
4) Alegrías del hogar (Home joy), Mariela Gómez, from the SachaMama  weavers group, baetón, 2024. 
5) El cardo de la vida (The thistle of life), Norma Vizgarra, from the SachaMama  weavers group, baetón, 2024.
6) La SachaMama (La madre de monte / Hills mother ), Adela Cuellar, from the SachaMama  weavers group, baetón, 2024. 

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Watch documentary: “Como llegan las flores a las telas“ – Idea and realization Constanza Martinez –

7) Labores Magazine, embroidery bouquet grid used by the teleras on the loom, circa 1950. 
8) Sketch, Adela Cuellar, first approach to the design of La SachaMama, baetón fig. 6
9) Detail Labores magazine, grid reference taken to baetón for El ángel de las teleras fig.10, circa 1950 

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10) El ángel de las teleras (The weaver ‘s angel), Pilar Orellana, from the SachaMama weavers group, baetón, 2024.
11 to 13) Detail Labores magazine, grid reference, various grid figures for embroidery used by the teleras on the loom,  circa 1950.
14) Three ancient baetons, from left to right;

#1 – Frezadón blanket, creole sheep wool spun by hand woven in the 20th century, Creole heritage. 
#2 – Frezadón blanket, creole sheep wool spun and woven by hand in the 20th century, art deco/andean heritage. 
#3 – Frezadón blanket, creole sheep wool spun and woven by hand in the 20th century, Andean heritage.

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15 y 16) Frezadón (blanket), woven in baetón technique, by the Sachamama Teleras Group, exhibited by Irma and Santos Guzmán. Photos: Verónica Ryan and Constanza Martínez, November 2023, San José del Boquerón, Santiago del Estero

HOW DO I PARTICIPATE?

Read the Baetón Contest Regulations and then complete the online Form:

For inquiries, contact by email at: contacto@amorada.com.ar