Threads of Time: Textile Legacies from Junín, Peru

In her travels through Peru, fashion designer and textile collector Andrea Aranow was captivated by the stunning beauty of the landscape, the rich culture, and the continued use of handwoven clothing around her. After six months of serving as the regional textile researcher at the Instituto Nacional de Cultura, Aranow felt called to do original fieldwork, collecting and documenting the region’s unique, creative textiles and dress.

Aranow’s collection includes daily-use items like tapestries, mantas, and alto-relieve embroideries. These items, each a testament to the region’s history, feature heroic religious and military themes, with elements such as airplanes and flowers and distinct motifs and patterns. They serve as a unique connection to the past, preserving the historical significance of the region’s textiles.

The resulting Peruvian collection curated and managed by Textile Hive comprises over 700 textiles and garments, thousands of field photos, Aranow’s research notes, video interviews, and lectures about her time living and collecting in Peru between 1973 and 1980. Cultural historians, fashion, and art enthusiasts will be mesmerized by the breadth and beauty of this never-shared-before collection.

Textile Hive invited Susana Navarro Hospinal to craft and refine Threads of Time: Textile Legacies from Junín, Peru. An independent scholar, art historian, and curator, Hospinal specializes in the art of modern Peruvian textiles and embroidery. She has published articles on communication strategy in cultural and artistic institutions and currently works with several contemporary visual artists on curatorial projects for private organizations. Her curatorial approach highlights cultural narratives and traditional techniques in a contemporary context.