Luis Alberto Gutiérrez

Taller Aescala

Leatherworker

©Taruman Corrales

Bringing leather to life

Alberto has been working with leather since 1978
The leather figures he makes seem to interact with the observer
Uruguay and its customs are part of his subject matter

Luis Alberto Gutiérrez has been moulding leather for almost 45 years and creating costumbrist pieces of his native country, Uruguay. His work has three well-defined lines. The first is what he calls Our Quixotes, or Gauchos, linked to the origins of Uruguay, in which he uses the finest materials. "Here I abound in details and folds, taking advantage of the light and shadow that are generated," he says. "The second is Los Viajeros or Immigrants who arrived in large numbers and from diverse origins to Uruguayan shores in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They arrived with their customs and trades, dispersed and influenced the whole culture of the country. To make them I use the sole, a more rigid leather, looking for more modern and sober pieces." The third is a line of more contemporary pieces. "Here I am looking for symbolism, without being too abstract.".

Interview

©Taruman Corrales

©Taruman Corrales

Why is there a lot of costumbrism in your pieces?: I am a somewhat nostalgic person, that is why everything that comes from the past touches me and moves me. I am attracted to the idea of telling the story through my characters. The gauchos and their customs, the immigrants, the trades they brought with them, as well as carnival characters, deeply rooted in Uruguayan culture.
What do you like the most about the creative process?: I really like working in my workshop, being with myself, the research stages, and the development of new pieces or lines of work, even beyond the anguish or uneasiness that this search can generate.
Why do leather and Uruguay have such a close link?: We are a cattle-raising country since before its independence, therefore, there is a long history in leatherworking. The characteristics of our soil and the quality of the water allow us to have high-quality raw materials. It is something distinctive of Uruguay.
How do you approach your craft?: My work must have a meaning, a commitment, a reason for being, not be a whimsical fashion. The language for what you want to transmit must be appropriate. Then there is the skill that brings neatness and good finishes to creations, and this is fundamental. In craftsmanship, without the first, the second has no value.

Luis Alberto Gutiérrez is an expert artisan: he began his career in 1978