At Global Heritage Fund, we believe that the heart of heritage lies with the people who cherish it. Periodically, we will be posting intimate stories highlighting the many local voices that make our global heritage a story truly beyond monuments.
A kaleidoscopic array of patterns emerges in broad white thread from the indigo-dyed fibers. On one pillowcase, she has embroidered a blooming flower, its petals spread lugubriously outward. Tetragons weaved in a pattern of broken lines are layered within larger and more complex shapes, creating a harmonious geometry against the austere background of blue, on another. She has a fondness for crosshatching, which maximizes the contrast between the primary colors like the moon reflected in the water that pools languid-like in the village at night.
“I’m free to design what I want. I feel free!” Shaoxian says, grinning as she unveils each new design. Tradition has set the textile patterns of Dali Village for generations, but with the help of Studio Atlas and Global Heritage Fund, the local women are experiencing a renascence of creativity. And, as the de facto head of Dali’s Textile Co-Op, Shaoxian has been leading the charge with a flurry of new and ambitious designs.
Scenes from the indigo dying practices in Dali Village:
An indigo dying vat, Yang Shaoxian, and examples of local textiles
“Do you see this fabric here?” Kuanghan Li, Global Heritage Fund’s Director of the China Heritage Program, asks us, pointing out an off-white cotton textile punctuated with undulating bands of indigo thread. “This used to be used only for bedding. Now it’s used for backing on the pillows and is incorporated into these new designs.”
Shaoxian’s innovation began later in her life. “At first, I didn’t think of designing or sewing things like that [Atlas’s modern designs]. I only learned the traditional embroidery. In our village, everything is passed down from mother to daughter. I learned to make these fabrics from my mother. This is hers,” she says, pointing to a small garment embroidered in red, green, and blue with a clearly refined hand. “She made that for me when I was a baby. Now, I am making one for my daughter. But, it’s not as nice as my mom’s!”
Textiles displayed by Studio Atlas at Beijing Design Week.
Kuanghan says “they’re inspired to do things and to test things differently as a result of the collaboration with Atlas. They started to develop and appreciate the more modern aesthetic, but filtered through a traditional context.”