Wence and Sandra Martinez: Woven Together

Born in Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca Mexico, a village famous for its woven rugs and tapestries, Wence learned the family textile trade as a young boy. He started weaving at the age of nine and four years later attended the Taller Nacional de Tapiz (National School of Tapestry) in Mexico City on a full scholarship.

In 1988, Wisconsin artist Sandra Hackbarth serendipitously commissioned Wence to transform her artwork into a tapestry. Discontent with the standard workshop reproduction of Turkish and Navajo designs, Wence jumped at the chance to try his hand at a primitive inspired modern design. The project spurred a remarkable thirty-year collaboration that marries traditional textiles with modern design. 

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.