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Up to the present day, Tibetan rugs have remained a less known genre of Himalayan arts and crafts. In a culture where the production of most arts devoted to religion is governed by strict iconography, rug weaving is among the few archaic crafts that offer weavers the freedom of their own creations, having playful and whimsical results. These rugs are characterized by distinctively bold designs and color schemes, providing a stark contrast to its arid highland surroundings. Apart from their aesthetic value, rugs have always had an essential part in Tibetan way of life. They provide the much-needed warmth to dwellings in the harsh cold Himalayan weather, hence are ubiquitous to every household and monastery. Khun AKE, who has collected Tibetan rugs for over two decades, will show pieces from his collection and share their fascinating stories. His talk will cover the basics of this less known indigenous craft, i.e., its history, production, usage, as well as designs. The talk will also cover some types of Chinese rugs that are closely related to the Tibetan ones. Khun AKE is an independent scholar whose work focuses mainly on textiles and art history of mainland Southeast Asia. He is an avid antique textiles collector spanning more than two decades. He has lectured widely, at The Siam Society, Thai Textiles Society, The Bangkok National Museum Volunteer group, and at SACICT. His research includes Shan elite costumes which he presented at the annual conference of Association of Asian Studies in 2014 and 2016. He also published articles in “Textiles Asia Journal” as well as “Arts of Asia” magazine. He is currently a council member of The Siam Society Under Royal Patronage as well as a committee of Thai Textiles Society.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
The Siam Society Under Royal Patronage, 109 สุขุมวิท 21, วัฒนา, กรุงเทพมหานคร, กรุงเทพมหานคร 10110, ประเทศไทย,Bangkok, Thailand
