Ikat Textile
CultureT'boli tribe, Philippines
Dateca. 1970
MediumIkat dying process, woven from abaca fiber
DimensionsOverall: 31 × 124 inches (78.74 × 314.96 cm)
Credit LineGift of Elizabeth and Jack Kaufman
Object number2010.3
On View
Not on viewCollections
DescriptionThis textile consists of a long panel of woven abaca (plantain) fiber. The textile is a complete loom width, with the selvages exposed. The three-color design incorporates organic forms that repeat vertically through the weave in diamond and zig zag patterns. The colors of the textile, black, red, and light tan are derived from the following dyes: black from the leaves of the K'nalum tree, red from the roots of the Loco tree, and tan as the natural color of the dried plant fiber. The textile design is created through the warp ikat dying process. The threads are dyed before weaving to create the pattern. T'boli dying traditionally fuses the color to the threads through steaming the threads over pots of hot dye for multiple days. Areas of tan are undyed fibers, achieved through wax resist. The textile is subtle, revealing that it was beaten with mallets in order to soften it. It has a shiny patina, evidence of burnishing, which was traditionally done with sea shells.CopyrightThis work is copyrighted. Contact the copyright holder for permission to reproduce.
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