Time To Restitch #3: The Three Beginnings

The word "torreón" refers to a tower raised on a perimeter wall used primarily for surveillance or as a look-out post.

In 1848 there was a place known as the San Lorenzo de la Laguna hacienda and in that year it was bought by Leonardo Zuloaga Olivares and Juan Ignacio Jiménez.

As a way to deter the raids done by the tobosos and irritilas (indigenous communities from this region) it was decided to build several torreones inside of the property that would eventually be known as Ranch of El Torreon.

In 1883, the railway arrived to the region and with it an increase in activity and population which prompted the denomination change from "rancho" (ranch) to "villa" (village) in 1893.

It was during this time that a man of German descent who lived in San Antonio, Texas arrived to the region. His name: Federico Wulff Olivarri.

He would be one of the men who would shape the face of what was first known as a ranch, then a village and finally as the city of Torreon.

One of his most important contributions would be the design of the streets in the downtown sector of the village which used to be right next to the railway tracks that still cross the city.

A curious anecdote regarding this is that when he was commissioned to do the street planning of the sector he didn't have any proper measuring devices with him at the time. Mr. Wulff was simply visiting Ciudad Lerdo when destiny knocked on his door.

The only tool available to him was a measuring tape marked in inches and feet that he brought from San Antonio. This is the reason why the streets in downtown Torreon have different lengths than the rest of the city, which is based on metric measures.

It was in the year 1901 that Federico Wulff decided to build a home for him and his family in this region. He built it in the same spot where the city began: by the railway tracks, in what today is known as the Sector Alianza (Alliance Sector).

The building process finished in 1905. Two years later, the village of Torreon would formally become a city.

In 1993, the Wulff house was acquired by the city and turned into a museum dedicated to the family who lived there as well as the periods before and after the Revolution of 1910.

Mr. Wulff's House

These days that place is known as Museo Casa Del Cerro or Museum of the House on the Hill.

It was here, where the city got its first start and where one of its architects built his home that would be the starting point for the project known as Restitch.

That idea brought all the way from Occitanie...

One of the first mysteries I had to solve was the name of the herald of Occitanie. If I was to join this project with both feet, I needed to know at the very least with whom I would be working with.

Fortunately, that was one of the first answers I got upon arriving to the museum.

The Herald from Occitanie is also known as Monsieur Philippe Poupet; sculptor, muralist, restitcher.

A substantial amount of people accepted his invitation to stitch a communal net. There wasn't any time to lose.

Getting Busy

The process was simple: those who restitched had to write down their name on the list to be considered as co-authors.

The tool of the trade would be just as simple: compressed charcoals.

Due to the fact that my understanding of the general idea was practically null, I was expecting a complex design to be drawn on the wall along with special and expensive painting materials which would be stressful to use. I expected brushes of all sizes, cans of aerosol paint; hopefully a breathing mask and I definitely expected to end up like a walking color sample book.

But no, the idea was much simpler and easy to get into.

Work Tools

Something that perplexed me right from the start was the fact that the final authorship would be shared. That was... unusual. I expected Philippe to be listed as the lead author and the rest of us who helped to be listed as collaborators, but that wouldn't be the case. He insisted a lot on the fact that he would only be another co-author but not the lead one.

He was just simply putting forth the idea.

"Simply", in this case it even sounds crass to put it that way considering everything it would entail by the end of the project.

Clear Ideas

Part of the available tools for those interested was something I called "The area for clear ideas". A large paper canvass where one could practice the kind of strokes one wanted to draw on the wall. Here one could make mistakes without affecting the final restitching.

Another simple but effective idea, particularly because this area would be helpful to understand better the general concept of the project, especially for the immediate future.

By the time I arrived to the mural, there was a substantial amount of progress done on the mural. Even so, there were small details to resolve as well as the part that I think it was the most uncomfortable due to the angle: restitching the roof.

The Big Picture

The Small Details

Anyone that has ever created a photograph, a drawing, a painting, a video or anything visual knows how difficult it is to aim the sight upwards for long periods of time.

The great masters of art could not escape to this fact; Michelangelo had this problem when he painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and was one of the reasons why the task given to him by Pope Julius II was so arduous: painting while looking upward changes perspective, angle and the comfort of doing so is minimal if rather nonexistent.

A Different Angle

That was not a problem for those who were there; on the contrary, it was an incentive.

While capturing this process with my camera, I heard Philippe describe his personal vision and his reasons for doing this mural.

Explaining A Vision

This was probably the point where I was stitched to the project as such. This wasn't a discardable project as many I've known before, this was something meant to join not only geographical regions, institutions and artists, but people.

Yes, this sounds beautiful and taken from an uplifting political discourse, but let's be honest, how many times in real and daily life does this actually occur?

Improving Technique

Children Are Welcome

And yet, here we were. Restitching the wall, restitching with others, being restitched.

Here it was where I realized that there was no way to talk about such an experience without pictures to support such tale.

Here it was where I decided that rather than stitching with charcoal, I would do it with light. I would preserve this project with photographs for the future because something like this is worth safekeeping. Beyond time, decisions or people.

At this particular point I didn't know if the murals of this project would remain indefinitely at the locations where they would be made but I didn't want to take any risks; it was better to preserve them in something more lasting.

High And Low Strokes

The Slightest Touch

Fine Details

Different Lines

Closing The Gap

Joining The Effort

It worked. The idea from Occitanie was accepted by everyone.

To me it was peculiar to note the contrast in the small things related to the subject.

For example, this little box of compressed charcoals crossed the Atlantic and traveled all the way over here to be a part of this.

Compressed Art

And it was received by something that definitely symbolizes this region:

Local Art

As a matter of fact, in the long run that lagunero touch would define each mural and give them an identity of their own, completely different from each other.

Monsieur Poupet's invitation definitely had a bigger response than I expected. That was something both surprising and nice to witness.

Answering The Call

There were children, teenagers and adults from all walks of life. Everyone was welcome and everyone cooperated with a stroke or line.

Laguneros In Action

The authors list would be long... Quite long. An achievement itself for the Herald of Occitanie.

He gave us the idea and materials to do it; we had to provide the magic.

Laguna Magic

Something significant, particularly with subjects related to art, is the importance of enjoying the process. I believe that if you can't enjoy it it's not worth doing.

I can't talk in behalf of everyone who participated, but there were people who clearly enjoyed the process.

Focused Line

The Content Artist

Generational Restitching

Reaching High

Restitching In Process

Caught In The Act





Almost Done

Finally I decided to do what I had originally gone there for: to help with the making of the mural. Even though drawing is not my strong suit, I decided to push that limit. After all, that's what I was there for.

There were no more empty spaces on the white wall, so I decided to think on a macro scale and stitch within the stitching, after all, there's nothing wrong with a strong stitch.

I cooperated as much as I could although I will admit that at I still didn't quite grasped Philippe's idea regarding the strokes and lines. I understood the idea of the project and what he was looking for but not the particular drawing he wanted. 

 

Personal Contribution

Coat Of Arms

Regardless of that, I had a good notion now of how to approach the next mural to be made, both as a collaborator as well as a photographer.

Despite the fact that my collaboration wasn't as extensive as others, I did feel a sense of belonging with the mural. My lines and strokes would meld with the others and would become part of the single line that made it up.

Birth Of A Line

That was precisely Philippe's idea; that a collection of lines would become one and could represent the fact of how when everything else is removed, many can come together to make something grand.

Restitching

It is amazing how many ideas and impact can fit into something so small and simple...

Magic Pellets

Everyone involved in the stitching process shared a common symptom: The Restitcher's Hand.

Restitcher's Hand

This would be the way to recognize each other among the rest; those who were there, those who helped with a stitch, those who provided ideas or their time.

Even if we washed the charcoal from our hands, the mark is still there.

Those who have it know they carry it in their fingers.

The day's labor was finished. The mural was almost done, only the roof was missing but that would be completed soon. The museum was about to close and we had to depart.

But before doing so, there was time to take the last two pictures to remember that day.

Labor Done #1

Labor Done #2

It was time to go, the goodbyes and see-you-laters were uttered and the promise to return to finish what remained to be stitched.

But resting was in order for the day. We had earned it.

However, a surprise was still to come...

Gustavo Montes kindly invited us to his home to eat delicious paella prepared by him.

It was an interesting proposal and one worth accepting. It was an exquisite meal accompanied by stories worth hearing.

The evening was spent among friends and colleagues, among restitchers.

Moonlit Soirée #1

Moonlit Soirée #2

Thank you for the invitation, Gustavo. It was a great way to end the day.

The mural would continue soon. It had to be ready for the inauguration that'd occur on the last days of September, before the second mural began production.

At least that was the plan.

But sometimes the universe just doesn't care how careful your planning is. Sometimes it will have a completely different idea of how event should unfold.

To be continued...

Special thanks to my mother, Nancy Núñez and my sister, Victoria Valentina for allowing me to use their photographs to complement this entry.


Entry Index:

Cover: Time To Restitch

Chapter #1: What Do I Have To Do With It?

Chapter #2: Ideas From Occitanie



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Time To Restitch Collection