4), Fraser worked out a solution in which each of five shallow baskets passes through the one next to it.įraser enjoys investigating mathematical ideas in his artwork, especially using triangles. In later variations on this same idea (image No. In a variation on the multiple basket idea, Fraser wondered: Will a technique that creates a basket with very thick fabric allow a similar basket to pass through it? Early answers to this question can be seen in image No. Some of the pieces that he describes as looking “like mushrooms or forests” are really combinations of upside down baskets. Later, Fraser used four, five, and six cords to see what effect the different numbers had on the finished piece.įraser also explored combining multiple baskets in interesting ways. In an early piece, Fraser mimicked an effort of his mentor, starting with three cords at the center, each of which interacted with the other two, creating a triangle of cords that eventually became a basket (seen in image No. Many of them are featured on his website and described in his book, Ply-Split Braided Baskets: Exploring Sculpture in Plain Oblique Twining. With initial guidance from an expert English weaver friend, Fraser has made more than 200 fiber creations using this technique. The needle is slipped between the plies of one cord, catches a second cord and pulls it through the created space, a process that is repeated multiple times. This space-efficient textile-making involves only a wooden needle (called a gunthani) and cords of waxed linen or paper ribbons, all of which Fraser makes himself. Though it is used in Northwest India for camel saddle straps, Fraser was interested in exploring sculptural forms made possible by the very thick material produced. In 2006, after years spent studying antique Southeast Asian textiles and weft twining, Fraser set out to learn ply-split braiding, another traditional weaving technique. Weaving Science and Artįormer Swarthmore president puts a liberal arts twist on fabric sculpture. Why their shared passion for learning about Zo textiles? “We have no business doing this except that we’re liberally educated,” Fraser says with a smile. The Frasers plan at least one more collecting trip, this time to the home village of their Yangon, Myanmar-based dealer. A sample work in progress was displayed on a backstrap loom, on loan from Fraser, built by a Zo man. Art of the Zo: Textiles from Myanmar, India and Bangladesh featured everyday and ceremonial pieces, including colorful wedding blankets, loincloths, skirts, mantles, and shrouds reflecting the cultural traditions and artistic skill of these groups. Last winter, the Frasers acted as curatorial consultants for a Philadelphia Museum of Art exhibit, which relied heavily on their own collection. The research culminated in their award-winning 2005 book, Mantles of Merit: Chin Textiles from Myanmar, India and Bangladesh. As the only recent Zo collectors known to have worked in the field, the Frasers have slept on mats, eaten ceremonial mithan (a domesticated ox), and gotten stranded crossing rivers. Since 2000, Fraser and his attorney-wife, Barbara, have studied and collected rare antique textiles in the mountainous Southeast Asian settlements of the Zo tribal peoples (also known as Chin), which comprise about 50 related linguistic groups. The cotton and silk warp-faced plain weave woman’s breast cloth (akhen), 1920-50, pictured here was made by an unknown member of the Chin, Khami, or Mro people. This weaving is practiced only by women and is considered the highest form of art in the culture.
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