Artful Detail

One can clearly see in this textile the importance of boundaries to traditional communities as seen in the many bands that are intentionally placed throughout this textile. These borders remind us that we need to respect boundaries between human and the more than human world and the worlds of ancestors and the human world. With boundaries comes etiquette and respect for nature and society. This Lawo Ngera three part textile is sewn into a tube and worn as daily wear by a woman of the Lio-Ende ethnic group and is comprised of bands of large ikat patterning that appear in the center portion of the textile with smaller bands of ikat interspersed between these bands.

The natural dye work on this textile is superb and reflects the work of a master dyer who can achieve the deep blue-black background with striking red. The dye process of the Lio Ende cultural group is among the most complex in the use of dye plants and the number of steps it takes to reach the desired colour as seen in this textile.

Information about the makers will be supplied with each cloth. 
Warp ikat, three panels sewn together into a tube, commercial cotton, natural dyes. Ikat tied, dyed and woven in Flores 2023. Size 170 x 76 cm / 67 x 30 in