How is such delicacy captured in translucent fabric? Subtle patterns that intuit a fabric? mood and feeling? Weaving is an altogether different discipline, that requires one? thoughts and emotions to be still and be filtered to their profound subtleties. It requires a bowed concentration, intimate rhythm, and more importantly, a vision way beyond that of the moment.
The collection features thirty-plus spellbound, handwoven fabrics, hung like panels of light, creating textures of total surprise. Each handwoven panel has its own personality and tells of its own feelings and desires. Silk, pineapple fiber and abaca are combined, to create filmy pieces that mesmerize and hold the viewer? attention. What messages are encoded in its techniques? Emotions and ideas that most probably range from purity, innocence and wonder, to passion.
The featherweight weaves are classified under Panels or Table Runers, in sizes of 76 x 310 cms. or 40 x 140 cms. There are also shawls, which can be shaped or twisted to form interesting wraps. A few pieces were transformed into thin envelope bags.
What is also curious about the collection are the names assigned to the series of handwovens, like, "Thoughtfulness" ?gradations of natural ecru, blush, mocca, in horizontal stripes. "Playfulness" is juxtaposed beside it, seemingly almost identical, but with a slight detail of loose, unwoven threads at the center of every stripe. "Connection" is a beautiful dialogue between fragile silk threads and abaca, made even more dramatic with loose open abaca threads.
"Patience" works on symmetry and balance of ecru or natural squares against a backdrop of melon pi? and silk. Weaver-artist Elodie Brunet explains; "When the thread would break, I found it useful not to allow one? nerves to fray as well. In this light it taught me the virtue of patience. I understood then the odd hours the women kept, coming in when it suited them. They have to feel free and happy when they came to the workshop, so that in return, the fibers will feel this positive energy and let themselves be woven easily.
Brunet also emphasizes the fact that all "the fibers extracted from the pineapple leaves and the abaca trees, of the banana family, were all organically cultivated. These fibers were all extracted by hand, washed in the gentle river current, dried by the gentle breeze and knotted together one by one, until there is enough in the bun readying it to be woven. All three fibers, the pineapple, abaca and silk, do not receive any chemical treatment at any moment in their life cycle."
The textile collection was made by the women of Rurungan sa Tubod Foundation, which stimulates the local hand-weaving industry without undermining the people? social well-being. It is indeed a beautiful collection of weaves, textures, transparency and opacity, "materials of light" as Elodie Brunet calls them.
"I have taught the women of the Foundation and took so much pleasure weaving my creations. It is very agreeable to work with people who are benevolent, tolerant, respectful, humble and willing to learn," she explains. She calls her collection "Sli-on," T?oli word which refers to objects that are "useless" in daily use but priceless due its exquisiteness.
By Barge Ramos
