Luisa Laranjo

My work as a textile artist is bold, by using strong colors or unusual materials. I am fascinated by cultural symbols and landmarks and like to portray them in a modern fashion, each work is professionally created to be a statement art piece.
Every Portuguese has a feeling of nostalgia, “saudade”,...

My work as a textile artist is bold, by using strong colors or unusual materials. I am fascinated by cultural symbols and landmarks and like to portray them in a modern fashion, each work is professionally created to be a statement art piece.
Every Portuguese has a feeling of nostalgia, “saudade”, that imbues every piece I create. I believe this feeling is universal and may be linked to a sensory memory of childhood, of places we lived or visited, or of loved ones. All of these elements play a role when I’m idealizing a piece – the mellow summer sunset by the sea, or how a cup of warm tea feels in a cold winter day, or even the rush of a new beginning.

This will translate into embroidery’s own language: the compromise with linen or cotton, the color scheme and I may confess it will influence even the pace to which I embroider. It’s a very holistic process!

In terms of embroidery techniques, I use mostly laced lattice stitches combined with classic ones, with a tendency for needle painted pieces.

I'm fond of using unexpected means to embroider such as agricultural sieves or classic tennis racquets. I am starting my journey embroidering on cracked and repurposed ceramics, my own take on embroidered kintsugi. Overall, I am looking for absolute creative freedom!

I am inspired by popular cultural symbols and architectural pieces, with a particular interest on the figures of the "wild men" and other primitive figure of the savage as it survives in local popular traditions.