Cooper Hewitt says...
In the early 1980s, María Eugenia Dávila (Venezuelan, b. 1966) and Eduardo Portillo (Venezuelan, b. 1966) started to seriously consider the possibility of developing sericulture in Venezuela. In the Canary Islands, they obtained their first silk worms and upon returning to Venezuela, began a two-year experiment in silkworm cultivation. After their initial trials, they decided that travel to China was necessary to fully immerse themselves in the technical processes of silk production. Fortunately, they were awarded a scholarship from the Chinese Embassy and traveled to that country to study silk cultivation and weaving techniques at the International Center for Tropical Sericulture, South China Agricultural University in Guangzhou. The couple continued their studies in Mysore, India at the Central Sericultural Research and Training/CSB. The extended period of study and travel throughout Asia and Europe expanded their appreciation for decorative textiles and regional styles of dress they encountered.
María Dávila was born in Jajó, Venezuela and Eduardo Portillo in Mérida. Currently, they both live and work in Mérida, the Andean state in Venezuela where sericulture was first attempted in the mid-1800s. While several enterprises failed, mulberry trees happened to flourish in the region, and with twenty-six varieties of silkworms from their travels, Dávila and Portillo successfully began silkworm cultivation upon their return from Asia. The couple established a textile design studio, Taller La Morera in 1983, and later opened Veneseda, a workshop for natural silk production, research and teaching – from silkworm rearing to finished silk goods.
After their travels, they made a conscious decision to re-immerse themselves in Venezuelan flora and fauna, especially the natural fibers like moriche, curagua, and chiquechique. Use of natural fibers led to an interest in natural dyes especially indigo, which mastery of included another trip abroad to Japan. Now the couple uses only natural dyes that they cultivate locally using the seeds, bark, berries, and leaves, and insects like cochineal. Visits to the Orinoco River basin brought them in contact with the Ye’kuana people who have influenced their work in past years. In their latest pieces, they demonstrate a new interest in creating volume by weaving with metallic threads and more substantial metal strips. Their work has earned them recognition from UNESCO for their creative contribution to design and silk textiles.
