Arpilleras, directly translating to "burlap" in Spanish, are brightly colored patchwork pictures made predominately by groups of women. During the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-90) in Chile, many women were left as the sole providers for their families are their husbands, sons, or brothers were killed or imprisoned by the government. These women would create arpilleras depicting their plight and sneak them out of the country to share their message with the rest of the world. Today, women living in shantytowns of Lima, Peru craft these extraordinary textile pictures to illustrate the stories of their lives while providing essential income for their families.

Measures 18" x 18".