If you’ve been following contemporary art trends, you’ve likely noticed that textile art is no longer confined to the realms of craft or decorative arts. Today, woven works, fiber installations, and mixed-media textiles are at the forefront of museum exhibitions, biennials, and top art fairs. As a collector, or aspiring collector, this is a category you can no longer overlook, and when you explore its leading voices, Olga de Amaral stands out as one of the most influential figures redefining the boundaries of textile art.
At Duque Arango Galería, we’ve work closely with Olga de Amaral for decades, witnessing firsthand how her work evolved from a regional treasure in Colombia to a global force in contemporary art. Whether you’re considering your first acquisition or expanding an existing collection, her woven gold-leaf compositions offer you the opportunity to own a piece of this artistic renaissance.
Is textile art really thriving in the contemporary art world?
In recent years, textile art has emerged from the shadows of traditional craft to claim its place in major contemporary art conversations. Leading institutions like the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Tate Modern, and the Art Institute of Chicago have expanded their permanent collections to include fiber-based works by Latin American, African, and women artists whose contributions had long been overlooked.
The reasons for this shift are clear. Textile art speaks to themes of labor, identity, gender, and tradition, while also engaging with form, color, and abstraction in ways that challenge conventional hierarchies of art and craft. As a collector, investing in textiles today means aligning yourself with a more inclusive and globally relevant art historical narrative.
You’ll also find that textile works are highly sought after at auctions and art fairs. Collectors are drawn to their tactile beauty, historical resonance, and conceptual depth. And as the market grows, artists who pioneered this medium—like Olga de Amaral—are seeing renewed recognition and increasing demand.
Olga de Amaral: the artist who redefined the medium
If you are serious about textile art, Olga de Amaral is a name you must know. Born in Bogotá in 1932, she has spent more than six decades transforming weaving into a powerful form of artistic expression. Her artwork occupies a unique space between sculpture, painting, and textile, using fiber, gesso, and gold leaf to create meditative, radiant works that defy easy categorization.
Amaral’s practice is rooted in Colombian cultural heritage, drawing inspiration from pre-Columbian goldwork, indigenous weaving traditions, and Catholic iconography. But her work transcends regional identity; it speaks to universal themes of memory, transformation, and transcendence.
Her most iconic works, including the Estelas, Alquimias, and Umbras series, shimmer with gold leaf and layered pigments, creating a visual language of light, space, and silence. They invite you to slow down, contemplate, and lose yourself in their textured surfaces.
When you add an Amaral to your collection, you’re not simply acquiring a textile piece, you are also engaging with one of the most poetic and spiritually resonant practices in contemporary art.
Institutional recognition driving market growth
Institutional support has played a critical role in the rising market value of textile art. Olga de Amaral’s work has been collected and exhibited by some of the world’s leading institutions, including:
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Art Institute of Chicago
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Cartier Foundation solo show, Paris
Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), Miami
Her 2025 retrospective at the ICA Miami was a defining moment, bringing her woven gold compositions to new audiences in the United States.
For collectors, this level of institutional visibility is key. It signals cultural validation and strengthens an artist’s long-term market performance. As Amaral’s work becomes better known and more widely collected, scarcity and demand will continue to drive prices upward.
Textile art as a smart investment
While the emotional and aesthetic resonance of textile art is undeniable, you also need to consider its growing market potential. In the last decade, works by textile artists, especially women and artists from the Global South, have achieved strong results at auctions and private sales.
Textile art also appeals to a new generation of collectors who value cultural narratives, environmental sustainability, and underrepresented voices in art history. These shifts are expanding the market and creating new demand for works that once existed outside the mainstream.
If you're investing in textile art today, you’re ahead of a market that is still expanding. And Olga de Amaral, as the pioneer and master of the medium, offers one of the most compelling opportunities for long-term value.
Why collect with Duque Arango?
At Duque Arango Galería, we have been privileged to work with Olga de Amaral for decades, maintaining a close relationship with her studio and curating exhibitions that highlight her work’s spiritual and material beauty.
When you collect through our gallery, you receive:
Guaranteed authenticity and provenance.
Curatorial guidance to select works aligned with your aesthetic and investment goals.
Access to both iconic series and rare early works, reflecting the full arc of Amaral’s career.
The confidence of working with a gallery that has over 40 years of expertise in Latin American art.
We also offer you the opportunity to discover other mid-career Latin American artists whose textile or mixed-media practices are beginning to gain international recognition—allowing you to build a collection that balances legacy with innovation.
How to begin your journey with textile art
If you’re ready to start collecting textile art, consider these steps:
Educate yourself about the medium’s history and contemporary practice.
See the works in person: textile art is profoundly tactile and immersive.
Follow institutional exhibitions and critical writing about textile art to understand market trends.
Partner with reputable galleries like Duque Arango to ensure the authenticity and provenance of your acquisitions.
Collect what resonates with you, whether it’s the shimmering spirituality of Amaral’s gold compositions or the layered narratives of emerging artists.
Owning a legacy of light and craft
In an art world increasingly drawn to materiality, process, and meaning, textile art is having its moment. And Olga de Amaral stands at the forefront of that movement, offering works that are not only beautiful and contemplative but historically significant and highly collectible.
Let Duque Arango Galería guide you on this journey. Discover the timeless power of textile art and begin collecting works that tell stories, honor traditions, and inspire futures.
Media Contact
Company Name: Galería Duque Arango
Contact Person: Press Office
Email: Send Email
Country: United States
Website: https://galeriaduquearango.com/en/artist/olga-de-amaral/