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Bernd Mohr's
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LSA NewsNo. 59, November 2004
Ply-Split Braiding: From Camel Girth to Contemporary Craft(story continued)Ply-split braiding is a fabric structure whereby one fiber element or cord (traditionally 4-ply) goes through the separated plies of another cord. (In regular weaving, one element goes over, under, or around another element, not through.) In ply-split braiding, the only tool used, besides one's hands, is a large-eyed needle, used to separate the plies of one cord and to draw the other cord through. The splitting of the plies is largely invisible on the finished product. Here's a close-up and here's another. The traditional material used in Indian tangs is black and white goat hair, usually hand-spun by the crafter. Because black goats are more common than white ones, some tangs are made of black goat hair and machine-spun white cotton. In India, camel girths are crafted only by men, as the camel is considered to be the domain of men. A young man may become interested in the craft about the time he acquires his first camel (at the time of marriage, age 20-25), and will learn from an older relative or friend. Fewer and fewer men are interested in learning the craft today, especially in the cities and villages that have become more urbanized and less tradition-bound. Those who do express an interest in the craft seem to pursue it for pleasure and those who master the craft are highly respected. A representation of the traditional camel girth has been found in two different 19th century paintings, one from 1820, the other from 1868, and in an early 20th century painting. Not much else exists that would count as historical documentation of the existence of the girths or of how and when the technique was developed. A ply-split braid was recently unearthed in Israel, in the excavation of a fortress that was dated AD 73. The first published study of camel girths as a textile and of ply-split braiding as a fabric structure didn't occur until 1976. A more extensive study, placing the girths and their unusual fabric construction in a more cultural and geographic context, was published in 1982. Finally, the first comprehensive reference work with complete instructions on the technique, published in 1998, opened up the potential of this craft as a modern textile art. Ply-splitting is now being used by contemporary fiber artists to create baskets, sculptural forms, wall hangings, jewelry, bags, and even dresses. The second international exhibition of ply-split braiding (and the first ever in the U.S.) is happening right now, in Portland, through November 14. Beyond Tradition: Contemporary Ply-Split Fiber Sculpture is at Contemporary Crafts Museum & Gallery. This exhibition includes 25 artists from three continents, representing Japan, India, Switzerland, England, and the United States (including two Oregon artists). The items on display include several pieces of jewelry, varying shapes and sizes of vessels, sculptural wall hangings, and a mobile of small shoes. The array of materials used is most impressive: goat hair, horse hair, raffia, jute, linen, cotton, wool, paper, polyester, and stainless steel. One of my favorite pieces was a vase made entirely of fishing line, which looked like finely-spun glass. Errol Pires, one of the exhibitors from India, attended the show's opening on October 2 as a visiting artist. Pires, a fiber artist and master ply-splitter, is currently a faculty member in the Textile Design Department at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, India. He gave a short talk about his personal history learning the craft and brought some old camel girths from his own collection. He has been a ply-splitter for about 18 years. When he first decided he wanted to learn the craft, he found he had to travel from village to village, searching out local crafters to teach him. After mastering the traditional methods, Pires began expanding the technique, creating his modern vessels, bags, and intriguing clothing. Right on the floor of the gallery, Pires unrolled about three long girths, that looked like they'd spent a few years wrapped around some camel bellies, and spoke a bit about their craftsmanship. He said that it would take one person, working 8 hours per day, 7 days a week, almost one and a half years to complete one girth! Here are some more pictures from my visit:
Sources
Collingwood, Peter. The maker's hand. Asheville, NC: Lark Books,
1987.
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