|
Yan-Li-Phao | Pottery | Thai
Silk Textile | Benjarong
 Yan-Li-Phao
The specialized skills involved in weaving yan-li-phao products
have been passed down from each generation to the next for
hundreds of years. In order to preserve this ancient art of
Thai weaving and to bring it to its rightful prestige, HM
the Queen of Thailand has added yan-li-phao weaving to her
list of Royal projects. Local artists in the Southern province
of Narathiwat can now earn well from their trade as the Queen's
involvement in the industry has seen a long awaited increase
in the value of this delicate art.
The yan-li-phao fern, found readily in the Southern areas
of Thailand, grows a long stem, tipped by just one dark green
leaf. This strong fibrous stem is dried, skinned and trimmed
to uniform length and diameter before vegetable dyes are used
to stain the fern stem a black, brown or cream colour. The
handicraftsmen then weave exquisite handbags and vanity cases
in dainty forms. Adorned with delicate gold handles and pin
locks, these feminine accessories are strong and eye-catching,
yet graceful enough to add style to an outfit worn on a special
occasion.
Pottery
More than two centuries ago, as peace settled over Thailand
under the reign of King Rama I, thousands of up-routed villagers
from Thailand's'phrathet peuan baan' or neighbouring countries
of Burma, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia found themselves freed
from slavery but homeless. It was at this time that the Mon
people drifted downstream from Ayuthaya and settled on Koh
Kred, a small island in the Chao Phya River in what is now
the small province of Nonthaburi, North-West of Bangkok.
Potters by trade, the Mon people found the clay deposits
in the Chao Phya River to be rich, soft and pliable, making
it perfect for their craft and have remained on the island
producing attractive pottery and objets d'art ever since.
In preparing the clay, they apply great patience and invention.
Once the clay has been excavated, it is left to stand against
the elements of the weather, covered by a damp cloth to avoid
hardening. When the clay has been mixed with sand, water buffaloes
tramp on the mounds, slowly massaging the clay into a soft
and supple texture.
The urns, vases, teacups and vessels moulded by the artists
on Koh Kred are unglazed and feature elaborately detailed
designs. Tiny pores in the pottery absorb condensation and
keep the contents wonderfully chilled.
Thai
Silk Textile
The mulberry feasting silkworms of Thailand grow primarily
on the Korat Plateau in the North-East region of the country,
although most of the silk production takes place around Chiang
Mai. The silk thread of the Thai worms is a natural gold colour
and often one cocoon can yield as much as 500 metres of silk.
There are four main steps to the production of this lustrous
textile. The washing and bleaching of the fibres is required
to remove a natural glutinous substance that holds the cocoon
together. Extraction of this'glue' allows the colours to
be uniformly and permanently absorbed during the dying process.
Colour dyes come in varying levels of quality and price. Often
the silk is coloured using vegetable dyes and so the chances
of dying two batches of thread the same colour, are minimal.
This gives each piece of silk a uniqueness that may be the
delight of those in search of regular sized sheets or despair
for designers who wants large amounts of one colour. High
quality Thai silk absorbs and bonds with the colour in such
a way that even exposure to sunshine and repeated washing
cannot dull.
Machine-woven silk, which is dyed after weaving, tends to
have a flat appearance. Thai silk is woven on handlooms; the
warp and weft are not of the same colour and this is what
gives Thai silk its natural sheen and lustre. If you hold
a piece of good quality Thai silk to the light, the overall
colour and tone will change depending on the angle of the
light; a defining characteristic that inferior weaves do not
posses.
The final step in the production of silk is a chemical soaking
process. The purpose of this very important step is four-fold.
The chemicals in the solution preserve the sheen of the fabric,
add weight to it, render the silk soft and smooth and add
to wrinkle-resistance.
The differences in approaches to these four techniques are
what create the chasm between high and low grade silk textiles.
They also explain why prices differ so widely. A gift of high
calibre Thai silk is a lasting token of the grace of Thailand.
Benjarong
Benjarong, the royal porcelain of Thailand, wears the grace
of Thai culture through each carefully placed brushstroke.
In the early Rattanakosin period, Benjarong porcelain items
were highly prized and used only in the Royal household and
upper class Thai families.
Benjarong, meaning'five colours', was originally made in
China, hand crafted from clay, fired in charcoal ovens and
finished in fine gold plating. Each piece consists of hand-applied,
real gold masks laid over the white ceramic, enabling the
artist to produce a tactile, detailed Thai pattern around
the gold, using at least five colours.
The rare beauty of Benjarong allows it to be displayed as
a single piece or a set, to compliment interior design. Benjarong
is a product of Thailand that is cherished by recipients and
admired by all.
All of these products are available at the Shinawatra Home
Mart, Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai.
|
