I thought I would show you some pics of this Tai Daeng skirt. It is a combination of different techniques aimed a creating a vibration-like effect. The technique is comprised of supplimental weft, discontinuous supplimental weft and supplimental warp. The colors are all vegetable dyed. While the colors initially appear to be randomly placed, on further viewing it is clear the color placement was part of her intention to create this vibrational effect. Other techmiques contributing ther effect, are the alternating squares of supplimental warp and the band in the warp where she alternates indigo and blue threads, creating a shimmering effect.
The colors are lightened for better viewing. The color is more orangish, but I can't seem to get a good simulation on photoshop, so I don't try.
What is unusual about this peiece, other than its rare quality of weaving and design, is the use of color in its design. The Tai Daeng do use color, but in a traditional way, alternating a blue and a yellow peacock. In essense traditional use of color. They are famous for their colors, one of the only exceptions is the black phaa Biaangs used by the shaman where the entire piece is white except for small and infrequent bits of color- sometimes as little as five bits of color in an entire ten-foot shawl. The other exception I can think of is the square, irregularly colored meditation squares shown in the Gittenger- Lefferts book.
The art of juxtiposing color as a centerpoint of the textile is a skill I think of as being from the Tai Lue, who use color combinations with a sophistication rare in the other Tai groups.
In any event I thought you might enjoy this.
Sorry for the bad definition on the details.
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laotian_tai_daeng_color_piece_176.jpg [ 172.13 KiB | Viewed 14277 times ]
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laotian_tai_daeng_color_piece-detail_1.jpg [ 75.03 KiB | Viewed 14277 times ]
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Last edited by Bill Hornaday on Wed Dec 17, 2008 11:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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