Working and living together as partners Leo Chiachio & Daniel Giannone both trained as painters and now use threads and fabric as their painterly medium to create hand embroidery and textile mosaics as they “paint with needles”. Their embroidery is a celebration of the family portrait, using themselves and their dogs as the subjects they find new and imaginative ways of depicting themselves, filled with humor and fantasy, as they consider the changing concepts around family. Chiachio & Gianonne’s textile mosaics are references to LGBTQ artists and their legacy in Latin America.
Chiachio & Giannone recently completed a residency at the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, CA and have shown at Chamber Gallery, New York, NY; Bernice Steinbaum Gallery, Miami, FL; the Boston Center for the Arts, Boston, MA; and the Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD. They have also shown extensively all over the world, including Argentina, China, France, Italy, Mexico, the Philippines, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.
For more information, please see: www.chiachiogiannone.com, on Instagram @ChiachioGiannone, and on Facebook @ChiachioGiannone.
Chiachio & Giannone, “SPLASH CRIOLLO”, 2019. Textile mosaic. 4,40 x 2,40 m. Photo: Nacho Iasparra.
Chiachio & Giannone, “FAMILIA A SEIS COLORES #9”,2018. Textile mosaic. 1,51 x 2,40 m. Photo: Nacho Iasparra.
First, and most importantly, how are you doing? How are you navigating the highs and lows?
This pandemic found us doing a residency at the Lux Art Institute, Encinitas, CA. We decided to interrupt our residency and return to our home in Buenos Aires. It was not an easy trip because in South America the countries began to close their borders. After 37 hours we were able to be in our home. Here, quarantine is very strict. At the moment, we have been locked up in our house for 147 days.
In April, we should have traveled to Brazil where we would be participating in the 12th Mercosul Biennial - Porto Alegre called "Femenino(s)" where we were invited to participate by the chief curator Andrea Giunta. Due to the circumstances produced by the health pandemic, the Biennial had to be held in virtual mode. It was a learning experience for the entire team and the artists.
We are used to spending a long time in our home working on the different manual processes that our work of art requires. Our house is our atelier too, so we always find what to do. Luckily we have all the necessary work materials to be able to continue our work. The only thing that has changed for us is the physical social distancing, but we are virtually connected with all of our friends and family.
During this quarantine we decided to resume projects that were on standby for some reason and also finish some pieces that were still in process.
This special time is a time that allows us to rethink ourselves as people; rethinking what kind of artists we want to be, etc. As visual artists, living and producing in Buenos Aires, we are used to living in a situation of uncertainty in all senses (economic, creative, etc.).
In recent years, we have begun to carry out various projects with the participation of the attending public. These are artistic practices that today are impossible for us to imagine. Today these practices are difficult to do here.
Chiachio & Giannone, “ANGOUMOIS & NORMANDIE”, 2016. Hand embroidery with cotton thread and jewelry effect on fabric. 1,22 x 1,48 m. Photo: Nacho Iasparra.
It´s my experience that most artists engage with some level of self-isolation in their day to day art practice. Has this been your experience? And if so, have you found these innate rhythms to be helpful during this larger, world-wide experience of isolation?
For us, this situation of physical isolation has not modified our artistic practices in our atelier.
We had several projects on the agenda to carry out during this period that were postponed, such as an art residency and exhibition at the Center for Contemporary Art "Transpalette" in Bourges, France. This was an invitation from Chief Curator Julie Crenn. On this occasion, we had planned to carry out workshops in situwith the active participation of the local community. We are rethinking this artistic practice of how to do it. The same is happening with another project that we would be carrying out at the end of the year at the Vancouver Biennial, Canada where we were invited to participate by the chief curator Barrie Mowatt.
Chiachio & Giannone, “LA FAMILIA EN LA FONTANA DI TREVI”, 2011. Hand embroidery with cotton thread on fabric. 1.10 x 1.70 m. Photo: Daniel Kiblisky.
Chiachio & Giannone, “EL REGALO”, 2015. Hand embroidery with cotton threads on gabardine and Alexander Henry© fabric. 1,25 x 2,10 m. Photo: Nacho Iasparra.
It would be great if you could briefly talk us through your practice. Understanding it is integral to appreciating the multivalence of your work.
Our academic knowledge is in painting. We both decided to transfer all our knowledge working with color into using other materials such as needles, fabrics, embroidery threads, fibers, etc.
Our idea is to work with the translation of the language of painting, transferring it to the textile language. We consider it a political gesture to work with manual techniques considered "minor arts" that were relegated to the female world in South America. We are interested in erasing the limits or boundaries between gender and work and pushing the boundaries between "craft" and "art".
The representation of the new configurations of the family in society is a recurring theme in our artistic practices. On the other hand, we are interested in working with the concept of building a family constellation of artists that we consider to be part of our artistic DNA.
In recent years we have been interested in expanding the work in collaboration with other people or institutions. Working together with people is very important to us. We are interested in building community, being like bridges for others and becoming spokespersons for all those who have no opportunity to have their voice heard.
Chiachio & Giannone, “BOMBEROS”, 2012. Hand embroidery with cotton thread and jewelry effect on Alexander Henry © fabric. 1,04 x 1,42 m. Photo: Daniel Kiblisky.
Has any of your imagery shifted in a reflection to what's currently happening? And why, or why not?
At the moment, we can no longer know if our images have changed as a reflection of this situation we are experiencing. Surely, we can find out in time. What if we are thinking that when we can go back to performing artistic practices like the ones we used to do with the participation of people, something will be different, not only in the mechanics of performance and interaction but also in the result of artistic practices; because we are sure that as a community we will all be different after going through this health pandemic.
Chiachio & Giannone, “SELVA BLANCA”, 2014/15. Hand embroidery with cotton threads, wool, rayon and jewelry effect threads on fabric. 4,60 x 2,85 m. Photo: Nacho Iasparra.
Are you thinking differently? Coping differently? Inspired differently?
At this moment we think that we are not thinking differently, but on the contrary we think that it is an important opportunity to expand our thoughts not only with regard to the creative process itself but also how creative practices will be carried out in the Next future. We are looking forward to what our near future will be like.
Chiachio & Giannone, “LA FAMILLE DANS LA JOYEUSE VERDURE ”, 2013/2019. Hand embroidery with cotton threads, wool, rayon and jewelry effect threads on fabric. 4,40 x 2,70 m. Photo: Nacho Iasparra.
Chiachio & Giannone, “Refugio #2”, 2019. Hand embroidery with cotton thread. 1,10 x 1,70 m. Photo: Nacho Iasparra.
What is bringing you solace, or even joy, in this moment?
For us, to be going through this situation of health crisis (COVID19) in our home/work shop is comforting because we are surrounded by our daily lives: our pets (Piolín, Chicha and La Dorado), our plants, our books and our work materials. Everything is much easier being together. Fortunately, our closest affections are in very good health.
What research are you doing that you find compelling?
At this moment, we are conducting a search for old and abandoned tapestries that we are rescuing and intervening with silk-screen printing and hand embroidery. This is our current work project in which we decided to work because it is a more intimate job that we can do during this period by staying in our home-atelier compared to the jobs we do in common with the community during our stay in an artist residency.
Are you reading anything?
Yes. We are always reading about philosophy and art in relation to our creative interests. We are reading texts by Paul B. Preciado ("Testo Yonqui"), Andrea Giunta ("Contra el Canon"), Michel Pastoureau ("La Couleur de Notres Souvenir"), Sister Corita Kent ("Learning by Heart") and we are also conducting research on textiles and symbols of the Argentine aboriginal – native people.
Chiachio & Giannone, “CORTINAS HOMENAJE”, 2017. Hand made sublimation on curtain. Variables dimensions. Photo: Nacho Iasparra.
Chiachio & Giannone, “PARED BORDADA”, 2016/17. Cushion covers, table napkins and table runners; handmade embroidered with cotton threads. Variable dimensions. Photo: Nacho Iasparra.
Chiachio & Giannone, “ARQUEOLOGÍA SUAVE”, 2017. View of solo show “Arqueología suave” Ruth Benzacar Art Gallery. Photo: Nacho Iasparra.
Chiachio & Giannone, “LATINX FLAG”, 2020. Patchwork. Photo: Lux Art Institute.
Chiachio & Giannone, “BANDERA DEL ORGULLO O LA SEGUNDA PIEL”, 2018. Patchwork with clothes belonging to LGBTQIA+ friends. 4,20 x 5,10 m. Photo: Nacho Iasparra.
Chiachio & Giannone, “PRIDE FLAG” (Pride Parade Long Beach, California 2019), 2019. Patchwork. 30 X 100 feet. Image courtesy of artists.
Chiachio & Giannone, “PRIDE FLAG”(Pride on the Port, San Pedro, California, 2019), 2019. Patchwork. 30 X 100 feet. Image courtesy of artists.