{"product_id":"2046-antique-iban-ikat-bidang-textile-masterpiece-kalimantan-borneo","title":"2046 Antique Iban Ceremonial Ikat Bidang Textile Masterpiece Kalimantan Borneo","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #b3b3b3;\"\u003eFantastic Antique Iban Ikat Bidang from Kalimantan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmong the Iban, textiles are treasured as they are more than just objects made of cloth. \u003cspan style=\"color: #b3b3b3;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn some cultures, such as the Iban, textiles have played a major, if not central role, in all the ceremonies surrounding the important events in life. Power structures among women are based on dyeing and weaving skills. Perhaps the most important materials owned by families were textiles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIkat textiles are among the hardest to make, as the tie-dye is done on the unwoven threads before they are woven into cloth. So with a design in the weaver's imagination, the thread is dyed in sections as per the pattern that is required to be created. This takes immense precision and calculation. So when we note that these textiles were made decades ago in the rainforests of Borneo - Kalimantan, Sabah \u0026amp; Sarawak, there is a sense of awe for the creators.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFurther, textiles themselves were believed to have the power to connect to the spirit world. The motifs, the dyes and the complexity of the weaving - all factors that were a direct result of the weaver's skill and experience - contributed to the power held by a textile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnly textiles with certain features could be used during the most important community ceremonies and the weavers of these therefore enjoyed an elevated status of prestige.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo to study an Iban textile, requires us to focus on patterns, motifs, complexity and lastly and equally importantly - the dyes. The process of dyeing enjoys a far greater role in the value chain of production of Iban textiles than it does in any other group of textiles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis particuar skirt is from Kalimantan, Borneo\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e122 cm x 51 cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(complete at both ends. These are folded over and made into tube skirts and sometimes cut to get the size right. This one is perfectly preserved as the designs at both ends show)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNOTES:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo the two things that I look for when I acquire Iban ikats: \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1) The color. These textiles are used in daily life and therefore subject to wear. And therefore most Iban Ikats that are found today have heavy fading. So there are many with a fantastic drawing s, especially in the Bidang skirts that have faded heavily. These I do not acquire even though the art is impressive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2) Registration issues. In the process of creating ikat art, alignment must be precise to create sharp motifs. If adjoining threads are not perfectly placed, the edges of the motifs are no longer straight lines and they look untidy. Lines turn out zigzag when examined at closely. This is impossible to avoid completely and a misalignment of a few millimeters is common. But a mature weaver has usually mastered this technique and so even motifs that are as small as 1 mm are rendered perfectly. If this perfection is present in an Iban ikat, it appeals to me.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3) Finally, the creative factor of the drawing itself is extremely important. Repetitive motifs are not as interesting as ones in which several ideas have been brought together to create the larger drawing. Then, it is clear that the weaver has put in some thought and soul into the making of the artwork. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo in this bidang, \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003enote the precision with which the dashes within the each band have been executed in, not one but two colors. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003enote the two different colors used at each end\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003enote the use of circular vines within the design (it is hard to execute curved lines well in ikat)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerhaps each of the panels means something. I've heard from experts who have studied Iban ikats for years that even a dedicated decade is not enough study to be able to 'read' the an Iban ikat. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis textile is complete at both ends\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome stains present. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #750505;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/wovensouls.com\/collections\/antique-iban-ikat-pua-kumbu\" style=\"color: #750505; text-decoration: underline;\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e CLICK TO SEE THE COMPLETE COLLECTION OF IBAN IKATS\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eINTRODUCTORY PRICE\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #999999;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis item has spent a lifetime being used for the purpose of its creation with the original artist\/user. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"color: #999999;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eSigns of this life lived heartily may be present on the piece in the form of stains, thread loss, loose threads, holes, tears, color run and other imperfections.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #999999;\"\u003eTherefore the condition must be assumed to be “not” perfect. More photos of such imperfections will be provided on request.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #f3f3f3;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e***\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WOVENSOULS","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51502120436002,"sku":"2046","price":2200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/7855\/files\/2046AntiqueIbanikatBidangTextileskirtKalimantanBorneo01.jpg?v=1775698286","url":"https:\/\/wovensouls.com\/products\/2046-antique-iban-ikat-bidang-textile-masterpiece-kalimantan-borneo","provider":"WOVENSOULS Antique Textiles \u0026 Art Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}