Carlos Luis "Pajita" García Bes

Salta, Argentina, 1914 - 1978

            Carlos Luis García Bes, also known as "Pajita," was a prominent artist hailing from Salta. After moving to Buenos Aires, he studied at the prestigious National School of Fine Arts and at La Cárcova, where his passion for ancient and pre-Hispanic cultures deepened. García Bes became a connoisseur of the Chané and Chiriguana cultures, delving into their rituals and ceremonies, which established him as a pioneer of Argentine textile art. His work is characterized by capturing in tapestries the inexhaustible richness of legends, music, and ancestral dance.
            The decision to identify himself as a tapestry artist was a deliberate and complex one of cultural identification. García Bes became a fervent student and promoter of ancestral customs and techniques, standing out as a tireless researcher and teacher. Through his work with noble fibers, he intertwined American history both literally and conceptually. One of his most emblematic tapestries, called "The Sun," depicts Pachamama in a birthing position, reflecting the tradition of some indigenous peoples to give birth standing, usually in a stream of water, such as a river or irrigation ditch, to purify the child immediately. Pachamama's belly shows a circle with a dot in the middle, symbolizing the beginning of life.
            The aesthetic value, quality of design and polychromy, and skillful execution speak for themselves. But his work surpassed the confines of mere folklorism and greatly anticipated ethnic and conceptual art. Carlos Luis García Bes left a profound and lasting legacy in Argentine textile art, weaving not only tapestries but also a deeper understanding and appreciation of native cultures and their histories.