Day 1,059
Maximo Laura
Feeling a little tender today we had a lazy late start. No, it wasn't Tom's tooth that was tender but his head, as we had two fellow cycle tourers round for dinner. One of them, Ted, had actually cooked, so as we all chatted we drank maybe a bit too much. It was one of those evenings, started around 5pm and ended at 2am. My friends in the UK were just getting up as we headed for bed, never again! So after a lazy breakfast and a few black coffees we headed out for some fresh air and a bit of culture.
Our destination was the Maximo Laura museum. Maximo is from a family of tapestry weavers, he is the 5th generation, learning the art from his father. His works of art are admired throughout the world and he is recognised internationally as one of South America's most unique textile artists. He not only creates his artworks but is also a consultant, designer and lecturer. In the centre of Cusco is a compact museum showcasing his tapestries.
The walls were lined with his stunning works of art, there was also a brilliant film which explained the process, and looms with artwork mid-creation. Unfortunately we weren't lucky enough to be there for a demonstration. His artwork sells throughout the world, and is on display in the World Bank headquarters in Washington DC, many museums throughout the world, and the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. He has won many awards, my favourite is ‘National living treasure of Peru’. His work was available to buy, but being on our bikes it wasn't practical, nor to be honest could we quite afford it!
