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PAOLA MONDOLFI
Artist & Designer
“Wayuu Chair”
Statement
This piece is a tribute to the Wayuu people—also known as the Guajiros—who inhabit the arid and striking La Guajira Peninsula across Colombia and Venezuela. For the Wayuu, textiles are more than craft: they are an ancestral expression of life itself. The symbols woven into their textiles, called Kaanás (“the art of weaving drawings”), form a visual language inspired by nature, animals, and spiritual beliefs, carrying the essence of the Wayuu worldview
The art of weaving is passed down through generations of women, each piece preserving centuries of tradition. At the heart of this work lies the story of Wale’ Kerü, the spider who gifted weaving to the Wayuu women—a symbol of wisdom and continuity, linking past and future.
Here, a wooden chair becomes a loom. Woven like a hammock, its cascading threads embody interconnectedness, balance, and harmony. Child-sized in scale, the chair reflects the purity with which new generations embrace heritage. More than furniture, it is a celebration of Wayuu identity, resilience, and the enduring power of cultural memory.
Title: "Wayuu Chair"
Artist: Paola Mondolfi.
Year: 2024.
Medium: Vintage wood child chair structures weaving with
Close Instalation: 20 x 60 x 30 inch.
Open Instalation: 73 x 60 x 30 inch.
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