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Notes for the
WEAVING
TRADITION EXHIBITION
Carol Cassidy’s textiles are
remarkable in that they are simultaneously rooted in the Lao weaving
traditions and relevant to the modern world. In establishing a weaving
program dedicated to producing work that is consistently of the highest
quality and finest designs which can be sold internationally, she has
devised a business model that has potential for vanishing traditions in
other cultures. Furthermore, the work is quite simply beautiful,
sensuous and irresistible. To wear or even to touch a piece of this
hand-spun; hand-dyed and hand-woven silk is thrilling. One feels an
immediate and strong connection to those who have created these textiles
and to their rich heritage.
Sections of the Exhibition
1. Introduction to Laos
Because most
Americans have a limited knowledge of Laos and of its multiple ethnic
groups, the show will open with introductory maps and photographs of
this beautiful country, of the Mekong River that runs almost the entire
length of the nation. The distribution of tribes and the broad
characteristics of each area will be mentioned as well as some reference
to the nature of their handicrafts, possibly with selected examples.
Special attention should be given to the Hmong tribe many of whom now
live in the Bay area.
2. Traditional Textiles
When Carol Cassidy first went to
Laos, she was greatly impressed with the traditional textiles and began
to collect them in the markets. These antique pieces have served as the
primary source of design inspiration for all of her subsequent work and
thus are integral to the understanding of new pieces.
The selection of
about 20 pieces will document the weaving techniques, design motifs and
the functions of the various elements such as skirts, head scarves,
shoulder cloths. Each ethnic group has its own particular style and
some of these will be illustrated, perhaps with photographs as well as
actual pieces. If possible, one mannequin will be dressed to show how
the clothes are wrapped around the body.
3. Renewal and Transformation
The central
section of the exhibition will be devoted to the presentation of work by
Cassidy and her weaving studio in Vientiane. Her careful planning and
marketing research as she established the studio will be chronicled.
Her approach can serve as a business model for the preservation of craft
traditions in other countries. Over the years, she has expanded the
scope of her efforts to include the raising of silk worms, and silk
spinning and dyeing as well as the weaving of simpler scarves for a
broader market. These operations now involve some 5000 Lao in various
parts of the country.
Some 50 examples
will be selected to show the evolution of the work. The various weaving
techniques including weft patterns, tapestry weave; warp and weft ikat
will be shown as well as the range of colors and weights of silks. The
consistently high standards of quality, in the materials, the weaving
and the designs will be evident. These are all factors that have made
the work highly saleable on an international scale.
Examples will Include
3a.
Early pieces that are derived directly from antique examples and helped
to train the weavers in their traditions of
3b.
Works which expand
upon and reinterpret the motifs and techniques while preserving the
essential Lao character
3c.
Commissioned works for specialized
markets including wall hangings for public spaces, interior furnishings,
Japanese obi, etc.
3d.
A Lao frame loom with its unique
vertical heddle system and pattern rods will be set up and used for a
portion of the exhibition for demonstrations by one or more of Cassidy’s
weavers.
4. Legacy
The success of Carol Cassidy’s
weaving studio has generated renewed appreciation for and interest in
traditional Lao weaving. There are now some 26 weaving groups and an
active Lao Handicraft organization established and encouraged by the
government. It is important to acknowledge the government’s recognition
of the value of Cassidy’s endeavors and their active response in the
formation of this handicraft group. A selection of about 10 of the best
examples of these new workshops will document Cassidy’s impact on the
revitalization of Lao textile traditions. It will also illustrate the
future potential for such works.
Summary of
contents:
1. Introduction to Laos
2. Multiple ethnic groups, types of
textile traditions - 10 pieces
3.
Photographs of the country, the peoples, the textiles
4. 2 maps: Laos in Asia; Laos with
various ethnic groups identified.
5. Traditional textiles - 20 pieces,
various ethnic groups, a mannequin to show how the pieces are worn
6. Renewal and transformation - 50
pieces produced by the Cassidy studio
7.
Lao frame loom with vertical heddle system
8. Touch samples
9. Legacy - 10 pieces from various
other weaving studios
10. Audio-visual - possibly a film
or a slide show to create a sense of the country of Laos
These are the basic elements for the
show. It can be expanded or contracted as needed. Most of the work
will come from the Cassidy collection but other collectors of antique
pieces, as well as her work, have indicated a willingness to lend to the
exhibition.
Catalog
A
catalog
accompanies this exhibition. It includes
160 pages with 110 color photos and illustrations providing additional
didactic material
several essays, photographs of all
sections of the show.
Program Suggestions in Association with the Exhibition
1. Presentation by Carol Cassidy
2. Lecture on
the peoples of Laos
3. Weaving
demonstrations by visiting Lao weavers
4. Workshops taught by local Hmong
craftspeople
5. Symposium on mechanisms for
preservation of craft traditions,possibly in association with or under
the aegis of Aid to Artisans
6. Special selection of related
products for sale in the museum shop
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