Welcome to LaTela: Museum of Artisan Weaving and Workshop in Macerata, located in theinterior of Italy’s Marche region. It issurprising to find such a dedicated, even detailed interest in the preservationof old weaving traditions and at the same time have such an active engagementand collaboration within the community (via workshops and programs) and outside (with haute couture brands likeAlexander McQueen, Chanel, Calvin Klein – to name a few). Attention to detailhas never looked and felt so beautiful like this. They even have a gardenexclusively for the cultivation of plants traditionally used to color yarns formaking fabrics/tapestries.

I had the honor of living right next door to them for abouta year and during that time I took a short course on weaving and made my ownscarf. One time I saw some Peruvian women dressed in traditional garb workingon the looms, sharing their style and techniques and another time there was aplay on the story of Penelope, wife of Odysseus, who wove and unwove the shroudfor her father-in-law to keep her suitors at bay. The presence of the pastmingling with that of the present appear in their work, in the careful use ofmaterials and in the aesthetic they so wonderfully weave into their space andtheir rhythms. Find more of La Tela at www.LaTela.net