The V&A's Fabric of India exhibition starts with an 'Oooohh,' as the first thing you see when you walk in is this enormous summer floorspread that must have been like sitting in a field of poppies. If I hadn't managed to lose the notes I took on my way home, I'd tell you all about dyes made from chay root bark and pomegranate husks, luscious reds and golden yellows, shimmering cloths of gold and silver and muslins so fine you could surely pass them through a wedding ring. I was aching to touch and stroke and throw bolts of fabric over my shoulder. Less interested in the contemporary designs towards the end; the zip-up sari does not seem an improvement in elegance on the original. I'm sure I'll be going back for a second look but it was a real treat today with hardly anybody there. The shiny trimmings on this dress fabric are jewel beetles' wings.
3 comments:
Looks like my kind of exhibition. Just for me, not necessarily for the blog. However I never miss an opportunity to blog about a museum or gallery trip. The beetle wings are amazing. Seen similar things in victorian head-dresses, including a few bird feathers. Going to blog soon about an exhibition of Pacific Barkcloth clothing & textiles at the British Museum, you might like it.
Did you see the metalpoint exhib while you were at the BM, Katharine?
Sadly I didn't. I really only saw the barkcloth exhibition because I had arranged to meet someone at the back entrance to the BM & the poster caught my eye. I must go see it though.
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