‘SOUTHEAST ASIAN TEXTILES ’ 119 coffin ose (doa, Oudornat F Proce, Lae, 1820-800, y 098x253 82 971 Tike & Gio Toe Cotecton Bangkok 2 Nags Bent = (deat, Nepon, Divison, Burra, x12 24x57 1 Tac 199785 2 skerco (dea nortwest 1920. 089%0.72m woz, T4G 199282 107%), 19915.4. 2 Take & Gibbins Tete Calton Bangick material witness THE TILLEKE & GIBBINS TEXTILE COLLECTION, BANGKOK LINDA SUSAN MCINTOSH The high-rise corporate offices of Thailand's oldest law firm are home to a little known treasure: a steadily growing collection of traditional Thai and other regional textile art. Accessible to the public, the T&G Textile Collection is displayed and managed to the highest international Ms standards.THE SEEDS OF THE COLLECTION were sown In 1987 when Tilleke & Gibbins, the cty'soldest surviving law practice, moved Into premises near Lumpini Fark, behind the American Embassy {n Bangkok. Sento parner David lyman wanted diferent ook, 2 ‘Thal theme, forthe Interior design ofthe corporate ofces ‘A passionate ortenal rug collector since is law schooldays In America, Mrlyman, today Charman and Chie Values fies, readily agieed to the siggestion to use lea! at form, traitonal hhandwoven fabrics, to adorn the office walls. Others were Intlly less enchusastic but were won over by the beauty of the art, and the response from cllents and employees Was Very positive. Soon, the firm began to aoqulze more weavings ofthe Various ethnic groups ving in Thailand and the neighbouring counties. The number of textiles grew steady and, following the acqustlon of more than seventy rate Lao fabric, the Tleke & Giboins Textile Collection was officially established in the late 1980s under is first fll ime curator, Katen Bunyaratave In addition to decorating Tilleke & Gibbins International's new corporate offices high in the Supalat Grand Tower, the collection has 2 declared mission to preserve the textile heritage of Talland snd neighbouring Southeast Aslan countrls for present and future generations, ands open tothe public for research and educational purposes, ‘The collection presently consist of approximately L800 textiles primarily made of silk and cotton, with a mere handful using bast bre or wool, The majority originate fom the diverse counties of mainland Southesst As: Thailand (Siam), Laos Cam hod, Myanmar (Burma), and Vietnam, Insular Southeast Aslan exiles, ffom Malaysia anda few ofthe Indonesian islands, are also represented, but the emphss is closer to home: Thailand, Exceptions include Indan tage textiles made fr the Samese ‘SOUTHEAST ASIAN TEXTILES | marke, anda few examples ftom ethnic minority groups living In southern China with ethno-lingustc Inks connecting them to the peoples in neighbouring Southeast Ast ‘The main fous son cloth fom the various ethnic groups living in Thalland, espectally from Tai cultures, The ethnlc Tals belong to the Tl branch ofthe Tal-Kadalethn0-lingulstc family. |_ which s composed of numerous subgroups suchas the Tt Phuan, “hd Yuan, Tal Lu, Phuthal. Tal Dam ane Valor Shan. The La, ‘the dominant majority In Laos and the most populous ethnic ‘group of northeastern Thailand, also belong to this branch. The collection has a solid foundation ofthe diverse material cultuce ofthese Tal groups. Textiles from non-Tal groups ving In Thalland are also well | represented. These include the Khmer, the dominant ethnic ‘group of neighbouring Cambodia, and related linguistic groups such s the Ku who live inthe southern provinces of northeast: ern Thalland, bordering Cambodia. Khmer and Kul weavers are | particulary known for thelr wet tka-decorated silks. The TRG collection also holds fabric fom other minority groups withinSOUTHEAST ASIAN TEXTILES ‘Thatland, including Malay, Cham, Hmong, Karen, Akha, and Mien peoples. Of course, the main ethnic groups comprising Thatland’s population are also found in neighbouring countries, and the textile rail follows these branches Into Los, Vietnam, Burin, peninsular Malaysia, and southern Chie, There ae also some textiles originating fom ethnic groups not represented within Thailand borders, Te successive cv satlons forming Thailand over the centuries di not exist in a ‘vacuum bat interacted with thele neighbours. Weavings of other Southeast Aslan gloups andthe distant eltares of India and China {ound their way nto Thalland, so their inclusion in the colletion sa Jopical extension, Ei Burmese, Intha, Naga, Kachin and CChin textes from Myanmar are well represented, and there are ‘examples fom minority peoples ving in southern Laos and the ‘ental highlands of Viemam. Among others, these geographically Isolated cultures include the Jot, Rhade, Katy, and Tot The textiles range from high satus court cloths to household tems, collected with the pillosopty that al typos are an art form Uuitarian items ~ blankets, curtains, and mattress cavers —are ‘often elaborately adorned with intricate designs. Many of these domestic accessories comprise a bride’ trousseau and are met culousy decorated fortis joyous ite of passage: women celebrate this festive lfe event with symbols of beauty, Othe types of textiles include clothing for everyday use and special occasions The materials used are sometimes simple but also Kaxurous, depending on an item’ intended function and ts owners Stats. Court textiles often include costly imported materials such a¢ g0ld- and siver-wrapped thread The collection also has a firm founding in diverse types of clothing fom various ethnic groups living in Traland and other parts of Southeast Asa: skirt and other lower garments, head cloths, shoulder cloths, shaws sashes, and rare tunics or robes for both men and women. tis ‘expecially strong in ts array of Tl women’s ceremontl skins, ‘which contain the most variety in theit combination of designs, techniques, materials, ané colours and-woen or hand-adorned cloth continues to play an Amporant roe in the various religions of Southeast Asia. Textiles function a religious offerings, tools to demareate sacred space, sand.as conduits hetween the natural and supeamatual. The collection holds many examples of woven materials associated ‘with Tl stamante rita ané Badhst ceremonies ts vital that these are preserved since thelr production has. forthe ‘most part, declined or even cease. This is particuaty the ‘ase fr funeral banners, both sbamanic an Buddhist, which ae increasingly rare. The collection includes a number of ulferent types ofthese cloths inorder to preserve them for the appreciation and learning of preset and future generations. The age ofthe textiles ranges from new or recently produced to approximately two hundred yeas old, Most fll into the twenty to 120 year category. In Southeast Asia, environmental tors such a high humidity, insets and vermin, as Well as ‘man-made events, Including funerals and other rites of passage, | cause the destruction of textiles. In the religous practices of the region, texles often accompany the deceased on tele Journey to the supernatural world, and are sacrificed as acts of piety. Fabrics may be placed on graves and left wo disntegat (raped over a coffin and destroyed in the cremation, o: butted | swith the deceased. Although many cututes continue to weave ‘high quality heritage textiles, the products may vary from gen cation to generation. New styles emerge while others ide aay either temporary ox permanently Apart of ts mission to preserve textiles asart, ndasan ‘educational too, the collectton isa regular lender to loc, reglonal, and incernational exhibitions. In particular, Tileke & Gibbins textes have been exhibited at the im Thompson Centre for Textiles and the Artsat the Jim Thompson House Museum ia | Bangkok, and when the Thompson Foundation hosted its frst {nernational sympostum on Southeast Asian textiles in 1999, aspecial display ofthe firm’ textiles accompanied the event athe Shangri-La Hotel. This was followed in 2003 by Power Dressing’ Ted Together’ in 2004; Status, Myth, and the Supernatural in 2005, ne, most recenty, Weaving Param 2007. Farther Affe, textes from the collection wer also inched in regional exhibition such a “invisible Hands, the frst temporary exhibit 2 the National Muscum of Laos in Luang Prabang in 2005, and, Internationally in “Weaving Tradition: Carol Cassidy na Waven Silks of Lao’, nel 2 several locations inthe United States, among them the Museum of Craft and Polk Attn San Francsco The texilles on display in the companys offices are rotated every six months, and UV filters are used throughout to prevent light damage. Interested individuals and groups are welcome to see the textiles and 1 vst the Texte Callecton storage room to view storage and conservation methods the textiles are stored to intemational museum standards, Researchers are also abe to utlise the collection’ information esources: exch texte photographed and documented and the dita stored in a museum collection software programme To accomodate its growth needs, in September 2008 Tek & ‘Gipbins relocates to seven Floots ofthe Supala Grand Tower on Rama 3 Road near the Chao Phraya River, The move not only allows the firm to expand, but ako the collection. Bret more textes re on display to the 20th-26h Noor offices, and there are Increased storage facilites and larger workspace to care forthe fabrics, under the stewardship of curator Wipawee Tiyawes (ipswee vailekeandgibbins.com), “Linda Susan cto icons rth Tile & Gib Teste Colleton in Bagtok, and ithe autor of bok highlighting some ofthe mst, reereble of the fn! heritage textes, de ir publication a 209 ‘SOUTHEAST ASIAN TEXTILES.