The Our Hands project inspired my further study into traditional craftsmanship. For 3 months, I interned at the Nanjing Yunjin Cloud Brocade Research Institute, learning the laborious and methodical craft of China's most prestigious weave. What was more incredible than witnessing the actual fabric get woven is learning all the breakdown methods that happen before the artisans start the loom.
Brocade apprentices painting the patterned grid
Learning the jacquard weave. The white ropes represent the warp threads, once attached to the loom, the ropes will pull up the threads allowing the weft threads to be woven, thus forming the colours and shapes.
I spent three weeks with this artisan while he was weaving this brocade, and was even allowed to assist weave a small sector of the border. The piece took four artisans (two weaving, two pulling the warp threads) four months to weave.
Hands on experience pulling warp threads.
Due to my enthusiastic interest in Cloud Brocade, I was given opportunity to participate in the making of this piece from beginning to end - from hand drawing the grid pattern to pulling warp threads, to weaving.
Farewell photos various weaving artisans in from of their looms.
During my second visit to the institute, an intercultural event was held showcasing traditional Norwegian textile techniques. It was fascinating see handicraft as it's own language allowing words to be understood and emotions to be communicated.