Stitches in resistance: food, identity, crisis, and hope

Objetive:

This theoretical-practical workshop reflects on the global food and ecological crisis from the perspective of corn and its influence on the Mexican gastronomy, economy, art, and culture. Using the maize as a common thread that takes us through the life of a people and their surroundings, we will reflect on the issues of transgenics, land exploitation, and extractive practices by the food industry in the Irish context.

We will be capturing speculative ideas on fabric through cross stitch/free style embroidery. At the end of the workshop, participants will leave with their embroidered creations in which we will capture our thoughts and feelings around our own experiences and connections with our food.

Aim (general and particular goals of the workshop):

●      To deepen the understanding of the influence of maize in Mexican culture and cosmovision.

●      To build on the awareness of ecological crisis and its connection with the foods we consume.

●      To get a deeper appreciation for the interconnections between cultures and localities through shared problematics.

Methodology:

Participants will engage in discussions about local contexts in relation to food production and consumption. The session will begin with a brief introduction on the current situation of the GM maize war in Mexico and its repercussions on Mexican culture and economy.

Different textile representations of maize in traditional Mexican indigenous embroidery will be shown in contrast with examples of protest and artivist representations that address the above-mentioned issues. From these discussions we will reflect speculatively on similarities and differences with the Irish context and what connections are identified between the two territories in order to capture these sentiments both individually and collectively in embroidering fabric scraps that participants will be able to take away with them.

 📍 Location the workshop: Studio-Gallery Mestiza (14 Exchequer St Second floor, Dublin 2

💰 Cost: €50 (includes all materials)

🗓️ Start Date: Saturday, April 5th, 11:00AM

⏳ Duration: 3 hour session 

Taught by: 

Saray Elena

Mexican designer/researcher based in West Ireland. Having a graphic design background, visual communication has played an important role in my career to date. Since 2018, I’ve been residing in Ireland, where I completed my MA in Visual and Critical Studies at TU Dublin in 2022. Driven by a profound curiosity in visual and material culture, along with a passion for material experimentation, I find myself captivated by the culture that underlies people's creations and the potential of design to produce and communicate knowledge. I’m currently pursuing my doctoral studies, focussing on the production of knowledge plurality through participatory textile making in Ireland and Mexico.