<p>In this episode of NeedleXChange, I interview Renan Estivan, a São Paulo-based contemporary embroidery and textile art artist known for queer tapestries that put the male body at their centre.</p><p>In Part 1 we get into his mum's Arraíolos rugs and the embroidery tradition she passed on, choosing design at UNESP over art, how the pandemic in Salvador collided with a pixel-art drawing to spark his first erotic cross stitch, his shift onto the tufting gun, and the Brazilian tapestry lineage running from Kennedy Bahia and Tropicália through Leonilson.</p><p><strong>Links:</strong></p><p>Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.renanestivan.com/"><strong>renanestivan.com</strong></a></p><p>Instagram:<strong> </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/renan.estivan/"><strong>renan.estivan</strong></a></p><p>Intro music is Ordinary Love by Vicki Vox via <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/3403dx"><strong>Epidemic Sound</strong></a>.</p><p><strong>About NeedleXChange</strong></p><p>An artist interview podcast exploring <strong>contemporary embroidery and textile art</strong>. Hosted by Jamie "Mr X Stitch" Chalmers.</p><p><strong>Stay Connected</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://needl.exchange">needl.exchange</a> | Newsletter: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews">bit.ly/NeedleXChangeNews</a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.mrxstitch.com">mrxstitch.com</a> | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://xstitchmag.com/">xstitchmag.com</a></p><p>Social: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/mrxstitch">Facebook</a> | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/mrxstitch">Instagram</a> | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.pinterest.com/mrxstitch">Pinterest</a> | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/c/mrxstitch">YouTube</a> | <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjamiechalmers">LinkedIn</a></p>