Marcela Sinnett

Synthetic Memory

Silkscreen on indigo-dyed muslin and yarn, bamboo sticks

31 x 33 inches

2025

“This piece reflects how the indigenous practice of weaving on a backstrap loom is quickly disappearing in El Salvador. The figure in the background blends with the environment, symbolizing how these traditions are fading into the background. The veil being woven is a traditional piece from Panchimalco, a town where it has deep cultural significance among the Pipil people. I screen-printed the patterns on muslin fabric to show how these ancient symbols are being replaced by new technologies. I also created my own loom using bamboo sticks, a contrast between something natural and something artificial. The yarn and fabric are dyed with indigo, which has become a major part of my practice, connecting me to another indigenous tradition that is coming back into fashion. To me, it also represents what has been sacrificed or “purified” from society, as indigo was once used to dye the bodies of those sacrificed to the gods in ancient El Salvador.”