In Spanish, Hechizoo translates to “enchant, bewitch” which is an apt description for the materials produced by this weaving atelier based in Bogotá.
These remarkable textiles are the brainchild of Jorge Lizarazo, founder and creative director of Hechizoo. A self-taught weaver, Lizarazo originally practiced architecture in France working with the illustrious Santiago Calatrava and Massimiliano Fuksas. Returning to Colombia, he created Hechizoo where he started his experimentation with weaving and materials. Working with skilled weavers and artisans, the atelier creates rugs, upholstery and curtain fabric as well as architectural screens and meshes.
Evolving from a rich Latin American tradition of textiles, Hechizoo evokes a contemporary vision for textile design. For Lizarazo, sources of inspiration range from the beautiful Colombian landscape to a poncho worn by the famous singer Chavela Vargas. A colorist, Lizarazo pairs unlikely hues and tones to create vivid effects. It is his emotional translation of his reaction to the world around him into the language of textiles that makes the work so original.
The innovative use of materials also sets Hechizoo apart from other textiles. The integration of indigenous vegetable fibers such as fique and cumare with metal wire and nylon monofilament form a striking contradiction. With an architectural sense of proportion and structure, these materials give the textiles new properties allowing the material to filter and reflect light. Jorge Lizarazo identifies these new textiles as soft architecture and they are transformational; their innate characteristics redefine the use of the product providing them with the power to change a space visually and tactility.
The end result is textiles that are an extension of the architecture and interact with the interior spaces for which they are intended. Hechizoo textiles have been commissioned for important private and public spaces all over the world.
This exhibition provides a platform to exhibit the most experimental of these textiles as well as showcase a range of techniques and materials that the atelier utilizes to achieve their striking results. Comprised of completely new works, the textiles are liberated from utilitarian use and become more sculptural. Cristina Grajales Gallery is pleased to publish a limited edition book with this exhibition.
