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| The ASEAN-Korea Centre holds the exhibition, "Ancient Futures," introducing textiles of the 10 ASEAN member states ― Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam ― at Cociety in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. Courtesy of the ASEAN-Korea Centre |
ASEAN countries are well-known for their craftsmanship and textiles is one of the fields that best shows the works of artisans reflecting the nature and lifestyles of the ASEAN region.
The ASEAN-Korea Centre organized its annual exhibition, centering on textiles, with the embassies of the 10 ASEAN member states ― Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam ― in Seoul.
The exhibition, "Ancient Futures ― Treasures of ASEAN Fabric," is being held at Cociety in Seongsu-dong, a hip and trendy neighborhood in Seoul, hoping to attract the younger generation to sample the culture of Southeast Asia.
Kim Hae-yong, the secretary general of the ASEAN-Korea Centre, said the items on display are more than just clothes and fabric.
"Each item presents the diversity of ASEAN as one-of-a-kind, carefully created in the hands of a master craftsman. As implied in the title of our exhibition, 'Ancient Futures,' it aims to introduce values of ASEAN fabric that connect art and everyday life, and the past, present and future," Kim said during the opening ceremony, Nov. 9.
"The value of each piece of fabric lies in its traditional and cultural values beyond the outcome product. Indeed, the culture the weaving craftsmanship is an integral feature of the local beliefs and traditions, handed down through several generations," she said.
A variety of delicate fabric woven by master artisans of ASEAN is on display, matched with related tourist destinations.
Brunei Darussalam's "Kain Tenuna" consists of flower motifs embroidered with gold and silver threads, creating a geometric and symmetrical floral pattern.
Indonesian "Lurik" is a stripe-patterned fabric, the name of which comes from the word meaning "line" or "stripe" in Old Javanese. Traditionally used for royal ceremonial costumes, Lurik has gained a new life in contemporary fashion by designers such as Lulu Lutfi Labibi.
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| Kim Hae-yong, sixth from left, secretary general of the ASEAN-Korea Centre, holds hands with ambassadors from the ASEAN countries in an "ASEAN handshake" during the opening ceremony of the "Ancient Futures" exhibition at Cociety in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, Nov. 9. Courtesy of the ASEAN-Korea Centre |
"Pua Kumbu" of Malaysia, the most expensive textile on display, has a traditional pattern inspired by fireflies in the rainforest, which takes a year to complete.
Myanmar's "Lotus fabric" is an example of a sustainable textile, using fibers extracted from lotus stems and later dyed with natural ingredients such as bark, seed and lotus leaf, while "Cordillera" fabric from the Philippines represents a system of faith related to agriculture in its design resembling flowers and butterflies.
Singapore's "Kueh Tile" fabric takes its inspiration from Kueh, a bite-sized snack in Southeast Asia, reflecting the multicultural aspect of the country.
Thai Ambassador to Korea Witchu Vejjajiva showed how Thailand's Indigo fabric from its Sakhon Nakhon region has different shades of blue in it.
"This is from the northeastern part of Thailand. In Thailand, silk and cotton are commonly used, so each region would have its own characteristics of silk and cotton production and also design," Vejjajiva told The Korea Times.
Many countries also have unique types of silk. "Ikat silk" from Cambodia has a unique shade of gold from local golden silkworms, while "Lao Silk" of Laos refers to the silk made from silkworms that only eat mulberry leaves.
Dubbed the "Queen of the Vietnamese Silk," "Lanh My A silk" is known for its glowing black shade and is often used by Vietnamese fashion designer Nguyen Cong Tri, who designed costumes for K-pop icon Rose from Blackpink.
The exhibit runs through Sunday. Admission is free.
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