About

Diego Borgsdorf Fuenzalida is an experimental ethnographic researcher and textile artist based between Los Angeles and Washington, DC.

His work addresses the affective and emotional dimensions of life in Chile and the Chilean diaspora following the right-wing military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990) and the formulation of a free trade economy in dictatorial Chile, called the “cradle of neoliberalism.” Borgsdorf addresses these themes and images using traditional Andean weaving methods and materials critical in the formation of political violence in Chile, such as sheep’s wool, copper, and salt. In addition to his work in basketry and tapestry, Borgsdorf Fuenzalida is known for his “new arpilleras,” expanded fiber and photographic works that utilize the craft aesthetics of the arpillera tradition, embroidered fiber collages pioneered by artists during the Pinochet dictatorship to document political violence.

Borgsdorf’s work has been exhibited at Wolfpack HQ through the Estates of Luchita Hurtado and Lee Mullican, Los Angeles; VisArts, Rockville, Maryland; Hamiltonian Artists, Washington DC; Glen Echo Arts Park, Rockville; IA&A Hillyer Gallery, Washington, DC; Room 3557, Los Angeles; and Washington Studio School. He is a 2025-2027 Hamiltonian Artists Fellow (Washington, DC), was a 2024 Iburra Arts and Research Resident at Blue Light Junction (Baltimore, MD), and was a 2025 Bresler Artist in Residence at VisArts. They have published research at the Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos (Santiago, Chile) and an artist book sold at Art & Book at Hauser & Wirth, Los Angeles. He has also taught workshops on arpillera making, weaving, salt sculpture, and natural dyes at institutions across the country, including the Craft Contemporary Museum (Los Angeles), the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA; Baltimore), Southwest Business Improvement District (Washington, DC), VisArts, (Rockville, MD), and Blue Light Junction (Baltomore, MD).