It is unsurprising, looking at the yarn-based works of Eduardo Terrazas (b. 1936), to learn that he trained as an architect, so clean and precise are his geometric designs. This is visible in the work that made his name early in his career: the logo for the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, which was influenced by a Huichol textile. Since then, he has developed an intricate technique, influenced by the art of the Indigenous Huichol people, for making his distinctive works. Comprising blocks of coloured patterns and shapes formed from yarn woven onto beeswax-coated wooden boards, Terrazas’s works borrow from the folk art traditions of his home country as well as from modernist abstraction. This year Terrazas’s work was featured in ‘Foreigners Everywhere’, the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale, and his show ‘Encounters’ is currently on at Timothy Taylor, London, until 23 August.
Installation shot of ‘Eduardo Terrazas: Encounters’ (2024) at Timothy Taylor, London. (2024), Eduardo Terrazas. Courtesy the artist/Timothy Taylor; © Eduardo Terrazas
Where is your studio?
My studio is in one of the most gorgeous places in Mexico City: Plaza Río de Janeiro in Colonia Roma, near the historic centre. In the 19th century the city was expanded through a series of urban developments, and Colonia Roma was one of the first districts to be created.
What do you like most about the space?
It’s on the sixth floor of one of the buildings on the plaza, with a fantastic panoramic view.
What frustrates you about it?
Nothing. I enjoy it every single time I’m there.
Do you work alone?
No, I have a team of seven people. Each one takes care of different aspects of my practice.
28.65 (2024), Eduardo Terrazas. Courtesy the artist/Timothy Taylor; © Eduardo Terrazas
Do you have a specific studio routine?
I use a unique method in my art: a wooden board layered with a special kind of beeswax, produced by Mexican Melipona bees, is progressively covered with strands of wool yarn according to my designs. This technique was developed by the Huicholes, an indigenous people from the Sierra Madre Occidental.
How messy is your studio?
Not messy at all. The whole process is done with extreme care.
Which artistic tool could you least do without?
I have everything I need and nothing more.
What’s the most well-thumbed book in your studio?
Plato’s Republic.
What’s your typical studio lunch?
It’s up to my cook, whatever she decides to prepare that day.
28.73 (2024), Eduardo Terrazas. Courtesy the artist/Timothy Taylor; © Eduardo Terrazas
What do you listen to while you’re working?
Mostly Bach, Pérez Prado or Rosalía.
Do you ever sleep in your studio?
Yes, I take naps all the time.
Is anything (or anyone) banned from your studio?
My studio is open to everyone.
Who’s the most interesting visitor you’ve had to your studio?
The hummingbirds that show up almost every day.
‘Eduardo Terrazas: Encounters’ is at Timothy Taylor, London, until 23 August.