José Pérez Chilean, b. 1995

Overview

José’s work updates traditional Mapuche and Andean textile techniques, creating contemporary forms that emerge directly from the loom. His practice merges craft and art as a way of reflecting on how we inhabit the present through tradition.

José Pérez is a visual artist with studies at the University of Chile, the Universitat de Barcelona, and a teaching certification from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. His practice has been enriched by extensive complementary training in traditional textile techniques in both Chile and Peru, with a special focus on Mapuche and Andean weaving. He has participated in solo and group exhibitions in institutions such as the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, MAC Quinta Normal, and the Centro Cultural de Cerrillos, and has taken part in various residencies and research programs in textile art, both in Chile and abroad, including Ajochi, Calcáreo, and the Icelandic Textile Center in Iceland.

José lives and works in Chile.

Works
  • José Pérez, Cara grande (Big face), 2024
    José Pérez
    Cara grande (Big face), 2024
    Weft face weave with warp displacement. Wool and cotton
    140 x 40 x 15 cm
    $USD 1,900.00
  • José Pérez, Línea de caras No. 2 (Face line No. 2), 2023
    José Pérez
    Línea de caras No. 2 (Face line No. 2), 2023
    Weft face weave with warp displacement. Cotton.
    70 x 34 x 11 cm
    Sold
  • José Pérez, Cara que emerge (Emerging face), 2022
    José Pérez
    Cara que emerge (Emerging face), 2022
    Weft face weave with warp displacement. Natural dyed wool.
    17 x 19,5 x 3 cm
    $USD 700.00
  • José Pérez, Cara tintes naturales (Natural dyes face), 2022
    José Pérez
    Cara tintes naturales (Natural dyes face), 2022
    Weft face weave with warp displacement. Natural dyed wool.
    18 x 23 x 2 cm
    $USD 1,000.00
  • José Pérez, Caras que emergen - tríptico (Emerging faces - triptych), 2022
    José Pérez
    Caras que emergen - tríptico (Emerging faces - triptych), 2022
    Weft face weave with warp displacement. Cotton.
    19 x 68 x 2 cm
    $USD 2,200.00
  • José Pérez, Línea de caras (Face line), 2022
    José Pérez
    Línea de caras (Face line), 2022
    Weft face weave with warp displacement. Cotton.
    100 x 60 x 18 cm
    $USD 2,200.00
  • José Pérez, Máscara funeraria No. 1 (Funeral mask No. 1), 2021
    José Pérez
    Máscara funeraria No. 1 (Funeral mask No. 1), 2021
    Weft face weave with warp displacement. Naturally dyed wool and linen.
    65 x 22 x 1 cm
    $USD 600.00
  • José Pérez, N18, 2019
    José Pérez
    N18, 2019
    Weft face weave with warp displacement. Cotton. Graph paper with black ink drawing and metal clip.
    34 x 10 x 2 cm
    Sold
  • José Pérez, ON1 , 2019
    José Pérez
    ON1 , 2019
    Weft face weave with warp displacement. Cotton. Graph paper with black ink drawing and metal clip.
    69 x 16 x 2,5 cm
    $USD 450.00
Statement

My artistic practice centers on the textile craft.

Drawing on South American loom weaving techniques—with a focus on Mapuche and Andean traditions—I explore traditional forms to create dialogues with contemporary art practices.

Using the same techniques and materials rooted in tradition, I produce new forms and volumes shaped by the structure of the weave itself. These textiles emerge directly from the loom, without cuts or seams.

Through textile craft, I seek a way to reflect on how we inhabit the present, finding answers in our traditions.