WorkArt & Culture

Hand-stitched portraits offer a painful slant on art

Your eyes do not deceive you. This is a true dedication to art. David Cata is the Spanish artist behind these hand-stitched portraits of loved ones, literally created by painstakingly weaving cotton into his own palms.

Written By:
Hand-stitched portrait of a face sewn with black cotton thread into an open palm as part of David Cata's A Flor de Piel series

David, who also uses his body as a canvas to write an autobiographical diary, has created this unique series, called 'A Flor de Piel', to pay homage to those who have had an impact on his life – teachers, parents, friends, family – they are all sewn into the palm of his hand. Watch the video below to understand more.

Left: hand-stitched portrait of a bearded man's face in black thread on skin; right: close-up of scarring from the stitched portrait on the palm
Hand-stitched portrait of a woman with dark hair sewn into skin with cotton thread, shown before and after healing stages in David Cata's series
Side-by-side comparison of a hand-stitched portrait in progress on a palm, showing black thread outline and gold stitching, and the healed result with visible scarring
Hand-stitched portrait of a person's face sewn into David Cata's palm with cotton thread, part of his A Flor de Piel series
Close-up of hands holding a palm with white thread stitched into the skin to form a portrait

Image Credit: Photography by David Cata

Share

Further Reading