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Monday 22 August 2016

Textiles at Te Takare

Have you been to see the “Textiles from Around the World” exhibition at Te Takere?   Our local library is currently showing some of Judy Turner’s treasures collected over many years of travels, starting when she travelled to Beijing with the British Foreign Office in the 1960s. 

Added to over the years, she collected textiles as she travelled through Asia, India, and Africa. She is particularly interested in the cultural role the textiles play in their country of origin.  The beautiful dyed, printed, woven and embroidered textiles  have deep significance to their owners and are thought to convey protection or good fortune.

I particularly liked this piece of colourful embroidered birds, worked on black and white striped cotton, and used in clothing.

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Embroidery over striped fabric from Guatemala

The Marsh Arab red rug made in Southern Iraq glowed with colour.  This traditional rug was woven by men and embroidered by women. 

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Marsh Arab rug from Iraq

The Toran at the top of the next photo is hung over the doorway on special occasions to bring good luck and prosperity.  The embroidered cloth underneath is known as a Dharaniyo is designed to hang in front of a pile of folded quilts and household items  to make the room tidy.  Wouldn’t all quilters worldwide want one of these beauties?  Both items made in Kutch, north west India.

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Toran and Dharaniyo from India

From Nigeria came the Status Robe, assembled from many narrow strips joined both horizontally and vertically to make the garment.  Both the weaving and the elaborate embroidery are the work of men.  The robe sits atop another beautiful textile piece.

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Nigerian Status robe

Of course, there is a lot more to see than is shown here.  Do pop along to the library and see these treasures for yourself.  Judy Turner points out that in many communities art is not a picture on the wall, but a beautiful, intricately made textile.  These are appreciated for the skills of the maker, and  the meaning behind the patterns, and are handed down over the generations.

Jenny Benton

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