Wood carving with Lucho Iparraguirre: "Since I was young, my family has been involved in artisanal work"

By Katerine Albornoz 

Wood carving, one of the oldest practices, was done for both the creation of utilitarian and decorative objects. These objects not only served a practical function, but also constituted a cultural, social, historical and religious expression. This duality is reflected in the presence of utilitarian objects from prehistoric times (see Figure 1) and in decorative works, such as the representation of stories from Chinese literature (see Figure 2) (Ananias, 2022; Collins, undated). 

Figure 2. Depiction of the "Legend of the White Serpent" in the Dongyang carving technique, developed between the tenth and thirteenth centuries A.D.. 

In Peru, pre-Hispanic societies also extensively developed woodworking in our territory. Evidence of this is found in several museum exhibitions, such as the Wood Room at the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art (MAP) of Cusco (see Figure 3) or the Cosmos Architecture Room at the Site Museum of the El Brujo Archaeological Complex (see Figure 4). Over the years, this work has evolved and become more technological, generating manuals that detail how to carve, and other variants (Bautista, 1990; Collins, undated; Ministry of Commerce, 2013; Ministry of Education, 2014; Padrón, 2015).     

Although we have information on this technique through the objects recovered, the research endeavors that have focused on this topic are scarce.  

Figure 3. Chimú wooden scepter exhibited in the wood room of the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, Cusco 

What does carving consist in?  

Carving, one of the oldest sculptural techniques, is based on the systematic extraction of material from the outside toward the inside. This technique can be applied to different materials, such as bone and wood (Bautista, 1990; The Sculptures, undated; Ministry of Commerce, 2013; Ministry of Education, 2014; Produciendo, 2013; Stryi Carving Tools, 2021).  

The execution of the work involves six main stages:    

1. Creation of the design on cardboard.  

2. Selection and planing of the wood. 

3. Transferring the design onto the wood block.  

4. Roughing: removal of unnecessary wood from the block.  

5. Modeling: shaping the contour and outlining it until the desired shape is obtained.  

6. Finishing: performing actions that enhance the aesthetic qualities of the piece.  

Figure 4. Wooden idol on display at the Cao Museum (Mujica, 2007).  

A conversation about wood carving

Woodworking is arduous, and experience and knowledge of the technique are important to carry it out. In that regard, we interviewed Mr. Lucho Iparraguirre, an artisan from Magdalena de Cao.  

In the interview, Mr. Iparraguirre talks about his beginnings in woodworking together with his brothers and how this work changed their lives. 

How did you become interested in wood carving?  

LI. Since I was young, my family had been involved in artisanal work. My father used to make reed weavings, like baskets. However, since the beginning of the Foundation's project in the 1990s, we observed at the wooden artifacts found and we were curious. As a result of that experience, we began to study carving on our own and looked for books that could help us, since at that time we did not know anyone who practiced this craft. Since then, 30 years have passed

What tools do you use for carving?  

LI. In the beginning, we looked for scraps of wood in the area and cut them with a saw. Then, we would make our own tools for carving, based on the files that our colleagues from the Chacra used to cut the sugar cane. The main tools for carving are the chisel and the gouge, and we choose either one depending on the piece that we are working. At first, it was expensive for us to acquire these tools. Nowadays, we still make our own tools for carving as it is more practical for us. The novelty that we have incorporated is the use of machines to cut the wood.    

Photo. Mr. Iparraguirre, wood carving artist. 

What motivates you to continue practicing wood carving?  

LI. We started out of curiosity and then we pursued it as a job opportunity. Throughout all these years, we have received support from different organizations, which has allowed us to diversify into ornamental and utilitarian craftsmanship. We learned little by little how to do business and we were able to participate in Mincetur (Ministry of Tourism) contests and Mincul (Ministry of Culture) fairs. Now we would like to contribute to our community by promoting this trade in Magdalena.  

Final Thoughts  

Among the know-how that our ancestors used to handle, belonging to different continents such as America or Asia, is the art of sculpture. Wood carving, as a sculptural technique that requires having diverse knowledge, from the type of wood to be used to the tools to be used. Over the years, much of this information and practices fell into oblivion and abandonment. Hence, the case of Mr. Iparraguirre allows us to salvage one of these long-standing know-hows that is present in the El Brujo Archaeological Complex, and to make it available to the community.   

Bibliography  

Ananias, N. (2022, May 6). Donyang: The thousand-year-old history and the present day of this wood carving. https://www.madera21.cl/blog/2022/06/06/dongyang-la-historia-milenaria-y-la-actualidad-de-este-tallado-en-madera/#:~:text=El%20tallado%20de%20madera%20es,representaciones%20mayormente%20ligadas%20al%20cristianismo.  

Bautista, D. (1990). Wood carving (Practical manual).  

Collins, N. (n.d.). Wood carving: history, types, characteristics. Retrieved March 2, 2023, from https://es.gallerix.ru/pedia/sculpture--wood-carving/  

Sculptures. (n.d.). Sculptures. Retrieved March 2, 2023, from https://lasesculturas.com/tecnicas-de-escultura/  

Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism. A. from C. from N. T. and C. (ICONTEC). (2013). Carving Bogota. In National Wood Reference. Handicrafts from Colombia.  

Ministry of Education. (2014). Cabinetmaking - Carving and Sculpture. www.educacion.gob.ec  

Padrón, O. (2015). Introduction to wood carving: Theory and practice.  

Produciendo, A. (2013). Wood carving (T. Arriola, Ed.).  

Stryi Carving Tools. (2021, July 20). Wood Carving as Art - History.