A Weaving from Sumba
Coming across local names of textiles makes me realise that the 5.5 languages I know are totally inadequate. I should have learnt them all. For, every word, is descriptive and … Continue reading
Birds of Indonesia
So someone said ‘why only talk talk about art always’ …. So let’s change the track a bit for today and talk about birds! I spent an hour this afternoon … Continue reading
A Kalamkari Coverlet – Antique Indian Textiles
A visit to any museum can be exhausting and the maximum I can handle is about 1 – 2 hours of exposure. In any given hall there are always too … Continue reading
Daily Art Fix -Sindh Dowry Embroidery
Bless the woman who made this!! A great way to start my day …. with a dose of beauty – gives the heart a small positive kickstart! Sept 2017
Who doesn’t enjoy Music in the Park!
MUSIC IN THE PARK – Notes in Silk!!! Just received this beauty made in Canton a century ago! Am yet to count the number of instruments being played in this … Continue reading
Beaded Textiles from Rajasthan?!!
Just noticed the fabulous beadwork on a shawl from Rajasthan that I’ve had for awhile. Endless delights in old acquisitions… All from the WOVENSOULS collection! ❤️
Daily Art Fix – Beaded Hilltribe Weaving
Beaded Loin Cloth More photos of Asset #163 on wovensouls.com [Premium Access Gallery] Even though I have never woven anything, it is easy to imagine the painstaking work involved in … Continue reading
The Weight of Art
As I was measuring this skirt worn by petite young girls, I had to do a double-take. I had just written down 130 inches – that was twice as tall … Continue reading
The Mashru Loom
My knowledge of weaving techniques is minimal – so I might be wrong in thinking that the Masru or Mashru loom is a complicated one. But the few looms that … Continue reading
INVITATION – Antique Indian Textile Art @ The Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, Singapore
BAZAR: SAT & SUN 21st, 22nd, 28th, 29th November 4pm-8pm A mini-exhibition will showcase some textile masterpieces from the past. Some pieces from the wovensouls collection will also be available … Continue reading
Mochi or Cobbler Embroidery of Gujarat
Anyone who knows Gujarati or Hindi knows that Mochi means a cobbler. So when I first heard my dealer say that a category of very fine embroidery is known as … Continue reading
A Journey to Assam along a ‘Vrindavani Vastra’
It is said that if you cross the Brahmaputra river once, you will return again to cross it a total of seven times. I’ve done 3 and as I try … Continue reading
Dowry Bags & Purses
A link to the Dowry Bags & Purses of Gujarat, India. jm July 2015
Naga Shells – Nocte Naga Portrait
Portrait of a Nocet Naga girl with traditional costume
Let’s play with Elephants Today! – A Fairy Tale in a Textile!
“Let’s play with our elephants today” said one little girl to another. And the birds joined them at play on their unicycles made of flowers! But one little bird felt … Continue reading
A Glimpse of Stunning Mizo Textiles – The Puanchei
Most are now woven on power looms but a few are still made on back-strap looms.A Glimpse of Stunning Mizo Textiles – The Puanchei The Puanchei: The Puan is the … Continue reading
DAILY ART FIX – Gujarat Embroidery
RUSTIC TRIBAL EMBROIDERY WITH GORGEOUS NATURAL COLORS ON COARSE HAND SPUN COTTON! JM. .
Loin Cloths – Art in Frugality
It appears to me from media, from the TV shows, films and music, especially those from Hollywood & Bollywood, that the world today is obsessed and preoccupied with matters of … Continue reading
Mystical Banjara Textiles
What does one get when the women of a social group have a strong intellect, happiness in their hearts and time on their hands? Art. Art that is used to … Continue reading
Hand Looms, Foot Looms and more
Many of the textile enthusiasts that I know, enjoy understanding the technicalities that go into the creation of the art. The loom type, the weave type, the knot structure etc … Continue reading
Spectacular Embroidery Art from the Patel Community of Kutch
On all my trips to the Kutch, I have only seen 4 such saris. Motifs & Color that are similar to those from the North West Provinces – but … Continue reading
INTRICATE WOVEN ART OF BHUTAN
ANTIQUE BHUTAN KERA TEXTILE ART ANTIQUE KERA VINTAGE KERA (OR KIRA) jm Oct 2013
Antique Dragon Textile from Laos
Finely woven Dragon textile from Laos. From the ‘South East Asia’ Textiles gallery of the Wovensouls Collection circa 1930 jm Oct 2013
A Gorgeous Tampan Ship Cloth from Sumatra
A textile full of soul! From the Kota Agung region, Sumatra. Pre 1900s. A rare design in Tampans featuring a colonial Dutch ship and the associated ancestral tree. Note the … Continue reading
FANTASTIC BAWAN BAGH PHULKARI – A WEDDING TEXTILE
A Bagh (phulkari) textile with 52 motifs created by the family as a canopy for the bride. Created by reverse embroidery!! Precision AND creativity! Art AND craft!! All while working … Continue reading
Handsome Turbans of Western India
A few photos from my old travel albums The complete album with full size images may be viewed at WOVENSOULS.COM jm Aug 2013
Textile Art of Gujarat
I grew up in the Gujarati community of traders. A community in which the critical success factor is ‘data mining’ within the community. Fathers, father’s brothers, mother’s brothers, neighbourhood elders, … Continue reading
Antique Persian Afshar Bird Rug – what was she thinking?
Woven by tribal women, during the course of their day, after taking care of their household and their family, this category of Persian rugs is a source of stimulation. So … Continue reading
The Stylish Priests at Jagannath Temple
Who said that men’s fashion has to be bland and boring? Jagannath temple in Puri is one of the 4 important pilgrimage spots for any Hindu. The temple is old … Continue reading
Tampan – the bewitching extinct weaving of Lampung
Weaving ceased in Lampung at the end of the 19th century. Ceased. Extinct. Forever. This fact would be tragic even if we were speaking of some other geography. But once … Continue reading
Miniature Thangkas from Mongolia
Devotional Art – art that arises out of worship and devotion – produces some of the most spectacular works the world has seen. Sufi music is an example and so … Continue reading
Additions to the Wovensouls Antique Textile Gallery – Tribal Bags
A few tribal bags that were acquired on my travels….. Some are bags originally used by tribals. Others are made using antique or vintage tribal textiles. All gorgeous. All very … Continue reading
Latest Additions to the Antique Gallery – June 2012
Antique and Vintage acquisitions from the Dayak tribes from Sarawak, Sumatra and Kalimantan have been added to the Wovensouls galleries linked below: Antique Textiles from Borneo Antique Articles from Borneo … Continue reading
The Arunachali – the Hunter-Gatherer-Weaver
Tiny hamlets dot the Himalayan foothills of Arunachal Pradesh. Some lie along the winding roads while a large number are accessible only by foot paths taking as long as 3-5 … Continue reading
Traditional Naga Bamboo Climbing and Fire Making
Greased-bamboo pole climbing and Traditional fire-making….a few images. Boys preparing to compete in the greased bamboo pole climbing competition between tribes Splashing mud to create friction *** Fire making by … Continue reading
