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The World Crafts Council and the World Crafts Council Asia Pacific present an unprecedented cross cultural exhibition at The Brunei Gallery, SOAS. Curated by Edric Ong & Manjari Nirula.
The exhibition celebrates the rich legacy of Ikat, an age old textile technique stretching across the continents of the world. This unique collection brings together an array of some of the priceless pieces of “IKAT” with live demonstrations by master weavers, a Symposium, film screenings and a book display. This program reflects the World Crafts Council’s global commitment to nurture, promote and revive precious indigenous craft skills. It also serves to connect the skilled practitioners from across these diverse regions to contemporary society and promote greater awareness of the hand-woven tradition and its innovation.
The exhibition includes over 200 items of unique Ikat textile from regions such as; Asia-Pacific (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Philippines, India, China, Japan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan), Latin America, the Middle East (Turkey, Syria, Egypt, Iran and Yemen), West Africa and Europe (Spain, Italy).
Ikat is a specialized dyeing technique applied to pattern textiles that employs a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp or weft fibres before dyeing. It is distinctly labour intensive and known the world over for its supreme precision and masterly craftsmanship. Ikat textiles are rich with interminable, inherent possibilities of tie dyed patterned wraps and wefts that may be split and rearranged on the loom by hand. These painstakingly hand woven fabrics are free of the repetitive quality of power loom textiles and are superbly exclusive in appearance and value.
Ikat textiles have often been recognised as the symbol of status, wealth and prestige. Perhaps because of the time and skills required to make Ikat, some traditions believed the cloth to be imbued with magical characteristics. Through wide usage, the word Ikat has become the generic term of reference for these textiles in the West, regardless of their geographic origin.
Events Schedule:
- Thurs 14 April: Opening of Exhibition with Focal Lobby display on “mud-mee” Ikat Textiles of Thailand
- Fri 13 May: Focal Lobby Display changes to Indian Ikat textiles.
- Sat 14 & Sun 15 May: Symposium on “Ikat Textiles-Ties That Bind (Past, Present and Future)”
- Thurs 9 June: Focal Lobby Display changes to Central Asian Ikat Textiles with supporting event.
Brunei Gallery, SOAS,Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
