Collecting, sharing at Amitiés Tissées

photo: St Tyl

Although Shukuko Voss-Tabe most often curates thematic or contemporary textiles in her Paris gallery, her most recent exhibit, Au coeur des collections textiles, was a little different.  This passionate supporter of textile arts found it fitting to celebrate the 10th anniversary of her association, Amitiés Tissées, 

by bringing together a sampling of treasures belonging to the many textile professionals and enthusiasts she has met over the years. Thus, "the textiles on display were not been chosen according to historical or cultural criteria. Each collector was invited to present works to which they are particularly attached and which we have chosen together." A very heartfelt idea for this association whose name means woven friendships. 

photo: St Tyl

One of my favorite pieces was this late Edo period hikeshi-banten (fireman's coat) with a gosho-guruma (imperial cart) design. The quilted layers were wet to protect the wearer at work. This is the inside of the coat; the outside was of simple design as seen on the collar. Once the fire was extiguished, the fire fighters would turn their coats inside out to show their rich tsutsugaki (freehand rice paste resist) decoration in joyful celebration of their accomplishment.

photo: St Tyl

Egasuri cloth: this technique uses paste resist on weft threads to produce patterns

Murakami Kasuri Orimoto studio, Yonago Japon

late 20th century

photo: St Tyl

A Syrian silk with slanting joined gold borders 

photo St Tyl

foreground: woman's kimono with view of the

crepe taffeta lining showing resist dye shade gradation typical of yuzen bokashi-zome

background: Royal Bushoong raffia weaving with applications of velvet raffia

Kuba-Zaire

early 20th century

photo: St Tyl

Collecting at its best is very far from mere acquisitiveness; it may become one of the most humanistic of occupations, seeking to illustrate by the assembling of significant reliques, the march of the human spirit in its quest for beauty...

Arthur Davison Ficke