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Monday, June 17, 2019

Power of Pattern: Central Asian Ikats Exhibition, Los Angeles

Lucky residents and visitors to California: at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is a superb exhibition of more than 60 examples of Central Asian robes and wall hangings. It closes 28 July 2019.

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Chapan from the David and Elizabeth Reisbord collection, LACMA

The objects on view are drawn solely from the collection of Dr. David and Elizabeth Reisbord. On the occasion of the exhibition, LACMA announced the acquisition of all the ikats on display, a generous gift from the Reisbords, strengthening the museum’s encyclopaedic costume and textiles collection.

Organized by motif, the exhibit examines how the region's textile designers, dyers and weavers used improvisation and abstraction to create unique textiles.

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Chapan from the David and Elizabeth Reisbord collection, LACMA
Central Asian ikat textiles are a testament to the power of pattern and are influenced by the various cultures along the historic Silk Road.

Employing creative use of scale, proportion and orientation, with hues that are compelling in the purposeful contrast, these luxury fabrics functioned as beacons of kaleidoscopic colour that reflected the wealth and sophistication of its patrons.

Their vivid patterns with blurred, cloud-like juxtapositions of colour are known as arbandi, literally "cloud binding". As clothing or decoration for the home, these textiles resonated against the Central Asian landscapes.

The catalogue from the exhibition is available via the museum's website, though unfortunately shipping is only available to the USA.

Below is a one-minute video from the exhibition highlighting these gorgeous pieces. (If the video does not display on your device, go directly to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcjrQIZ6Uhc)

Related posts:
Ikat: The "Thread That Connects Generations" Exhibition, Tashkent
The Fantasy World of Uzbek Textile Artist Dilyara Kaipova
Fashion's Obsession with Central Asian Design
The Story of Uzbek Silk Production: Step by Step
Buy Original Ikat Items by Dilyara Kaipova - Uzbekistan's Foremost, Modern Textile Designer

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