Floating Threads: Indonesian Songket and Similar Weaving Traditions

Floating Threads catalogues float weave techniques used to decorate batik cloth throughout the Indonesian archipelago and hints at possible lines of distribution. The textiles cover the period from the nineteenth century to the present, complementing the text which reaches into the distant past and includes recent experimentations, for contemporary fabrics are as important as historical weavings to the continuation of Indonesia’s precious textile traditions. Modernisation is the only way to keep weavers interested in plying their trade, stimulated by the popularity of their products. New forms will always arise to replace old styles that have fallen out of favour, but there will always be a weaver or two who will go beyond craft production to the level of fine art. The text has been expanded with technical details of specific weaves by the Japanese scholar Keiko Kusakabe.

Publisher: Bab Publishing

Hardback

2016

ISBN: 9786027208506