Cross-Stitch

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One of the most vivid memories of my childhood is when my mother, with her warm and patient voice, explained Velázquez's "The Spinners." Reading Jazmina Barrera's new book—delicate and patient—I couldn't help but recall that painting, finding echoes of a voice that takes the time to explain to other women; showing us those hands weaving in secret, with the purpose of gifting us an angel. Barrera stitches and unravels here a lyrical, lucid, erudite, and familial memory, awakening in us recollections that seemed hidden. Today, I look at "The Spinners" and see at its center the passion of Jazmina Barrera, perhaps accompanied by Marguerite Duras or even Maggie Nelson, yet her endeavor is unique, her voice strong, and her narrative draws us in and suggests to us, from the spindle to the thimble.