tolima

Leader: José Nid
Technique: Basketry

TOLIMA IN BOGOTÁ

Vegetable fibers have accompanied humanity for many years since men looked for solutions to improve their quality of life, to build a home and create artifacts, to the creation of a new craft trade - basketry. José Nid and his family learned the trade in Tolima more than 40 years ago and practiced it between Ibagué and Silvania, but for family reasons they came to live in Bogotá. He is a master in the trade, knows more about natural fibers than anyone who has worked with wicker (mimbre in spanis), yaret, chipalo, Banana Sock (calceta de platano in spanish) and rattan, but his stay and contact with the city led him to also explore "synthetic fibers" of recycled plastic. The contrast between the natural and the recycled synthetic fibers reflect in the objects the living conditions of many artisans who have had to leave their territory and move to find new opportunities in the cities. They are anthropological manifestations of what we live in our country.