Andi'Art - La Paz, Bolivia

Andi'Art was founded by French designer Veronique Valdes in 2000 as a cultural bridge between the Quechua and European peoples. The designer has been working with the same Aymara-Quechua family ever since, trusting Nieves, her Quechua production manager to convey her creative ideas to the weavers in the La Paz area or up in the Highlands. Andi'Art first started by reinterpreting colorful vintage Jatan Aku (aka frazadas) leading Veronique to learn more about the traditional use of Indian textiles. With time and patience, she revived Bayeta, a thin but resistant weave the Quechua and Aymara Indians once used for clothing. Back in 2000, only three families could produce this specific weave in Bolivia and she had to wait for a year to get 300 meters. Since the presidential win of Evo Morales in 2006, indigenous culture has been on the rise and several communities are weaving bayeta again. Veronique naturally dyes the fabric herself and uses it for the back of the pillows she makes from vintage frazadas or from her own weaves that blend Bolivian craftsmanship with a contemporary twist.
The designer provides work to sixty families on the Altiplano and strives to maintain skills that enable farmers to live in dignity. Her focus is on handwork skills and as she explains, her textiles carry stories and are definitely worth the wait!

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AndiArt - La Paz, Bolivia
Fondée en 2000 par la designer textile française Véronique Rolland Valdès, AndiArt est spécialisée dans la décoration intérieure.
La designer conçoit des textiles grands formats (tapis, moquettes, rideaux, plaids) qu'elle fait tisser par des artisans boliviens. Véronique Valdès chine aussi les textiles vintage (frazadas), tapis, ponchos et tout vetement traditionnel de Bolivie, qu'elle restaure ou recycle en coussins, sacs et pochettes
Découpe d'un frazada vintage pour la confection d'une série de housses de coussins

Established in 2000 by French designer Veronique Valdes, AndiArt specializes in home decoration. Valdes designs textiles such as carpets, curtains and bed throws that are then handwoven by artisans in Bolivia. Valdes also collects vintage frazadas (Bolivian throws and carpets) and vintage traditional garments she either restores or transforms into cushions, tote bags and small purses.
Véronique Valdes is cutting a vintage frazada to make a new set of cushions.

Frazadas:
These vintage textiles have been handwoven by Aymara women in the andean region since pre-hispanic times and used to protect against the high altitude cold. Weaving of each frazada is done in two separate parts which are then sewn together; this central seam shows decorative details and colors that highlight the beauty of the tapestry.

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Andi'Art - La Paz, Bolivia