SITUATE / 17 May to 18 June 2016
Cilau Valadez is the son of renowned Huichol yarn painter Mariano Valadez and anthropologist Susana Valadez. Coming from Nayarit in Central west of Mexico, Cilau a fifth generation Master Yarn Painting artist has been surrounded by master Huichol artists since childhood. He has done over 90 exhibits in North America, over 30 exhibits in Europe, and 5 in Asia. Now he is becoming a recognized traditional Wixarika medicine man (Marakame), but also travels the world exhibiting, lecturing, and demonstrating the Huicholart of yarn painting, his tradition and symbols. Artist of the year 2015, at Hollywood forever. His work has been featured at the United Nations, at the Museum of International Folk Art, and at events sponsored by National Geographic, Mexico, Riviera Nayarit, Don Julio, and universities like KSU and Harvard.
Panel Discussion
Cultural Intersections: Threads and Colour
Date Tuesday 7 June 5.30-7.30pm
Venue RMIT Building 94, Level 1, Room 6. 23-27 Cardigan Street, Carlton
Join us for the panel discussion Cultural Intersections: Threads and Colour, which brings together five creative practitioners to discuss their work and its relation to thread, colour and culture. Panellists include Sara Lindsay, Kate Just, Josh Muir and Cilau Valadez. Moderated by Kirsten Lyttle. This discussion is co-presented by the RMIT Centre for Art, Society and Transformation. This is a free event. Bookings are essential.
Yarn Painting Workshop
Date Friday 10 June 1pm-4pm
Venue Australian Tapestry Workshop, 262-266 Park Street, South Melbourne
Join Rafael Cilau Valadez for a free workshop to unpick the subtleties and techniques of traditional Huichol yarn painting at the Australian Tapestry Workshop. Participants will be able to try this cultural craft, where yarn is pressed into wax plates to create traditional designs. Bookings are essential, places are limited to 20 participants.
Rafael Cilau Valadez is a guest of RMIT SITUATE through the Mexican Indigenous Arts Residency Exchange -- a partnership made possible by the generous support of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Mexican Embassy in Australia.