Shaoqiang Wang

This book highlights various weavers by giving an interview about their work and then showing examples.

To begin with, these are all art weavers. Most of them make wall hangings or installations, not cloth. Some of this art is amazingly ugly. A few projects are included where people are trying to keep traditional skills alive. Their products tend to be more practical, and to my eye, more beautiful, although still not cloth. Basketry.

The 'interviews' are very stilted. It is not clear whether the artists ever actually heard the questions. Some are repeated in most chapters, whether the answer really fits or not. Others seem to have been made up to fit what was said. As you would expect, most of the artists are mostly inspired by nature, love using natural materials, want to communicate love of nature in their work. The sisal project from South Africa was quite refreshing: We use sisal because it grows here as an invasive weed. It has to be kept under control. At least some of it gives us a material we can afford.

I don't regret reading it, but the book is going straight into a Carla bag. (Charity shop)… (mehr)