Synopses & Reviews
Russian Textiles showcases the gorgeous printed-cotton textiles created and manufactured in Russia and exported to Central Asia from approximately 1860 to 1960. More than 175 spectacular patterns spanning a variety of periods and styles, from Art Nouveau florals to Soviet-era agitprop, are featured. The people in these Central Asian countriesand#8212;including Uzbeks, Tadjiks, and Turkmenand#8212;incorporated the brightly patterned material into their clothing, particularly their robes, and in their household items.
Brief essays by the author and fellow textile experts describe the and#8220;social lifeand#8221; of the fabrics and the fascinating history of this merging of Russian, Western, and Central Asian aesthetic styles; Robert Kushner contributes a lively text on how an artist and#8220;seesand#8221; and is inspired by these designs. Complementing the pattern images are vintage photographs from the turn of the 20th century as well as beautifully detailed reproductions of the robes and other articles that were lined and embellished with these cloths.
This is a must-have book for the inspiration library of every artist; professional fashion, interior, and product designer; crafter; and anyone with a love of extraordinary visual design.and#160;and#8220;Seldom does a new textile book invite one to view its subject matter in an entirely new light, from an entirely new perspective. Russian Textiles does just this. These cloths, with their boldly printed designs, are generally considered to be of little importance, and have been viewed with little contextual foundation.and#160; Russian Textiles: Printed Cloth for the Bazaars of Central Asia, changes this landscape and presents a collage of information and startling visuals.and#160; It fills a niche in our knowledge and appreciation of the dynamics of the textile trade in Central Asia, a niche that most of us were hardly aware was empty and needed to be addressed.and#160;and#160; Such is the groundbreaking nature of this book.and#8221; - - Thomas Cole, HALI Magazine, Spring 2008
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and#8220;Mellerand#8217;s book is a voyage of discoveryand#8230;a joyous celebration of pattern and colour, and of a way of life in Central Asiaand#8221; - - Brigid Keenan STEPPE Magazine, Summer 2008
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and#8220;The intriguing title with its mingling of the commonplace and the exotic, neatly sums up the esoteric collecting field that fascinates Meller and sets her apart from the typical high-end textile hunter who is searching for silken ikats or woven carpets.and#160; According to Mellerand#8217;s view, machine-printed textiles qualify as and#8216;fine art that happens to be for a commercial product.and#8217;and#8221; and#8211; Andrea DiNoto, American Craft Magazine, Oct/Nov 2008
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and#8220;Russian Textiles is one of those rare and serendipitous books that can be judged by its cover.and#160; From first bold photo to final footnote, the bright, complex language of Russian trade cottons is given full voice in Susan Mellerand#8217;s new book.and#8221; - - HAND/EYE, The Aid to Artisans Magazine, Summer 2008
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and#8220;This is a beautiful book to be cherished for its look as well as its content.and#8221; - - Frances Pritchard, SELVEDGE Magazine, September 2008
Review
andldquo;Suzani wall hangings, ikat trousers, embroidered satchelsandmdash;this lush volume explores the breathtaking textiles of a region steeped in color and pattern.andrdquo;
Review
“Lavish in illustration and exhaustive in research.” Art and Auction
Review
andldquo;Mellerandrsquo;s book is the first I am aware of to focus on andlsquo;everyday textilesandrsquo; . . . Meller is among the first serious collectors to elevate these garments to connoisseurship. . . . Even if you already have three feet of Central Asian textile books on your shelf, this one will still be a worthy addition. If youandrsquo;d like to peruse the splendor of Central Asian cloth for the first time, then Silk and Cotton will soon be a well-thumbed book on your coffee table.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;As the enticing images signify, dynamic multilayered patterns in vibrant singing colors are the hallmark of these textiles. Eclecticism is the other prevailing leitmotif, with robes, dresses, and hangings constructed on mix-and-match principles . . . Textile historians will appreciate the wealth of contextual pictures, but the textiles themselves can be enjoyed on a purely visual level as joyful and inspiring works of art.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;Susan Meller is a California textile expert who is plainly obsessedandnbsp;with Central Asia . . . she has journeyedandnbsp;in time, reading old travel writers as well as newer ones, dipping into history from the Mongol Empire in the 13th century to the end of the Soviet Empire in the 20th. She includes passages from the travelersandrsquo; narratives and illustrations from their books. . . . The result is a lot more than just a book about silk and cotton. . . . It is indeed a wonderful album. Its range of textiles is huge, not just the famed ikats and suzanis of the area, but everyday household textiles and cloths. She points to the details of regional stitching in clothing and hats, and how patterns have evolved according to tribal groupings and handed down. All this is presented against a background of the complex history of the region . . . and a social history which had a determining effect on the textiles themselves.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;Lavish in illustration and exhaustive in research.andrdquo;
Synopsis
The traditional textiles of Central Asia are unknown treasures. Straddling the legendary Silk Road, this vast region stretches from Russia in the west to China in the east. Whether nomadic or sedentary, its peoples created textiles for every aspect of their way of life, from ceremonial objects marking rites of passage, to everyday garments, to practical items for the home. There were
suzanis for the marriage bed; prayer mats; patchwork quilts; bridal ensembles; bags for tea, scissors, and mirrors; lovingly embroidered hats and bibs; and robes of every color and pattern.
Author Susan Meller has spent years assembling the 590 textiles illustrated in this book. She documents their history, use, and meaning through archival photographs and fascinating travelersand#8217; narratives spanning many centuries. Her book will be a revelation to designers, collectors, students of Central Asia, and travelers to the region. Silk and Cotton is destined to become a classic.
Synopsis
This is the first truly comprehensive book on Indian textiles, featuring stunning examples from all over the country. Lavishly illustrated, it begins with an in-depth exploration of the different materials, techniques, and dyeing processes used in the creation of these sumptuous fabrics before exploring the central importance of cloth to Indian life and culture from ancient times to the present day. Special features focus on objects of historical importance, including a Kashmir map shawl, Tipu Sultanandrsquo;s tent, and a remarkable 18th-century temple hanging from South India.
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While many are familiar with Mughal velvets, western-market chintzes, or rural embroideries, for example, this book will surprise, inspire, delight, and inform with an extraordinary range of material, much of it new. Along with presenting great historical masterpieces, the importance and variety of the basic fibersandmdash;silk, cotton, woolandmdash;from which Indian textiles are traditionally made is emphasized, and the remarkable techniques of weaving, printing, dyeing, and embroidery that have made them prized across the world are illustrated in specially taken photographs.
About the Author
Susan Meller is the coauthor of Abramsand#8217; highly successful
Textile Design. These never-before-seen textiles are from the authorand#8217;s personal collection.
Kate Fitz Gibbon is a specialist in the nomadic textiles and the silk-weaving traditions of Central Asia.
Annie Carlano is a senior curator at the Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, NM.
Robert Kushner is a New Yorkand#150;based artist.