Little Purses for Big Money
Coin purses from the olden days …. When the coins were small & made of gold & silver and their value was huge! When there was no fiat money or … Continue reading
Adornments to Entice
In many cultures in the Eastern hemisphere, lifestyle devices are structured with the intention of security and protection. Clothes and costumes are designed to deflect the viewer’s eyes rather than … Continue reading
The Fabulous Biboki weaving of Timor!
Double Sided supplementary weft (or warp?) weave from the Biboki people of Timor. An antique example: A betel nut bag: A vintage example: And a fantastic paper … Continue reading
Textiles in Ancient Balinese Paintings
Life is full of choices and the worst challenges are choosing between two bad choices or between two good choices. Shall I buy a painting or a textile? Shall I … 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
DAILY ART FIX – AN ARTWORK A DAY
An addict constantly needs a fix to keep him stable. Me – in moments of extreme stress I find solace & peace in viewing works of traditional art. In normal … Continue reading
Where the Head is Held High …| Naga Headdress
The Naga people are proud of their heritage. With a hat and fashion sense like theirs, I would be too. It must be so easy to live Tagore’s words there: … Continue reading
Catalogue of Exhibition “Vanishing Cultures” Singapore, March 7-9, 2014
Click on this link to view the the Exhibition Catalog highlights Hope to see you at the exhibition! jm
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
Antique Colonial-Era Saris
Two rare & unique saris from a bygone era. Rare because of their age. Unique because of the unique English motifs woven into the borders of the sari – woven … Continue reading
Costume & Jewelry Culture of the Dard Aryan People, Himalayas
It seems to me that all Himalayan cultures have spectacular costumes! One that stands out as distinct and unique is the Dard ethnic group in NorthWest India. Spread over a … Continue reading
A Large Heirloom Ladakhi Skeypuk Necklace
Made primarily of the much valued coral and the turquoise that is very popular in the region, This Skyepuk has a large Ghau amulet box encrusted with turquoise. A very … 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
Adornments beyond compare – Tribal Jewelry of Nagaland
Even though the young & the rich get allured into buying gems and jewelry by big brands that add very little value by stamping a brand name on it and … Continue reading
Choodi Waale Baaba – the Bangle Seller
Hindi was a compulsory language to be learned at school. And language is usually taught through written material – stories about this and that from every day life. Sometime in … 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
Kalinga Diaries
Kalinga. Now called Odisha (Orissa). The poorest state in India financially. Yet, among the richest states culturally. Every Indian has heard of Orissa through its arts – either the dance, … Continue reading
New Textile Art Pieces in the WovenSouls Collection – November 2012
Am back from a project in Kutch India. The dealers of antique textiles are preparing for an alternate as they believe that the supply of up tribal textiles is drying … 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
Exquisite Vintage Kebayas – the costume of the Peranakan culture
Peranakan, Baba-Nyonya and Straits Chinese are terms used for descendants of the very early Chinese immigrants to the Nusantara region of British controlled Malaya and the Dutch controlled Java among … Continue reading
