Photos by Pauline Zhu, Division of International Studies
Saturday, April 23, 2011, the Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies Program (LACIS) hosted a premiere for Woven Lives, a documentary film directed by UW-Madison Design Studies department faculty member Carolyn Kallenborn. Funded by the Title VI grant and Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), Woven Lives provides a fascinating look at contemporary Zapotec weavers from six different villages in the Oaxaca area in southwestern Mexico.
This colorful documentary features extraordinary textiles made with unique materials and techniques, and illustrates how the art of weaving cloth has helped the Zapotecs retain their culture and identity for thousands of years.
A Q&A session was held after the premiere, and authentic art from Oaxaca was available for sale to support Zapotec weavers. For more information about the film, visit: www.wovenlivesoaxaca.com
An audience of more than 250 people gathered at new Union South to celebrate Latin American culture.The night started with traditional Mexican dance performed by members from the Ballet Folklorico. After the premiere, a cake cutting ceremony and reception honored LACIS major graduates, which was followed by a dance celebration.