Tag: playlist
-
Threads of History – an article
A reader (thank you, Laura) has sent in this fascinating article that describes the work that went into the making of a varafeldur, a Viking cloak woven from the locks of sheep wool. As you might imagine, the weather in the North where the Vikings ranged required specialist garments. The varafeldur not only fulfilled the…
-
This week’s Spotify playlist
Each week a playlist of curated music and sound goes along with the blog. The playlist references articles in the blog and includes pieces from across the globe. Those who have a paid subscription to Spotify will hear all the playlist uninterrupted. Those with a free subscription will have advertising interspersed and everyone else will…
-
Tapestry – but not as you know it
The Dovecot Studio in Edinburgh is currently showing a tapestry at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London’s South Kensington for International Women’s Day. The piece is designed by Christine Borland and was woven at the Dovecot from cotton, linen and nylon. It is based on the Edinburgh Seven, women who matriculated in 1869 as…
-
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea, the most populous of the Pacific islands, the world’s third largest island country and the most linguistically diverse with 839 known languages, boasts rich cultures, some of which include the making of tapa (barkcloth). Tapa is made by pounding and crushing plant material, drying the resulting layer, and then using it for…
-
How glass beads are changing Australian history
In 2013 a news report alerted archaeologists, researchers and scientists to an unusual find: glass beads of European origin excavated in the Arnhem Land region of Australia. These beads appear to predate European contact with Aboriginal peoples of the country and point to a trade that existed long before colonisation. These small items were, it…
-
Collections/ Connections
The current exhibition at the Left Bank Art Gallery in Māwhera Greymouth has an interesting premise behind it: the connections between collectors and artists. In this show Friends of the Gallery were asked to choose a piece from their collection to share with someone else, who would respond to it with a piece of their…
-
This week’s Spotify playlist
Each week the blog has a curated playlist that goes alongside the articles. The playlist is made up of songs and sounds from Spotify and you can listen to it on the player above, on the app or by following this link and choosing the playlist you would like to hear. If you have a…
-
Zambezi (Sweet African)
The Zambezi River, the fourth largest river system in Africa, drains seven countries and provides a livelihood for millions of people who live along its banks, catchment and flow. The lower Zambezi is the most productive and biologically diverse of Africa’s tropical floodplains. The river has given its name to history in many ways: through…
-
Pelicans on the wall
A new piece has just been added to the textile collection: a trio of pelicans. The wall hanging has been made from burlap backing with the pelicans, hand-stitched with twines of various hues and padded, fastened to the burlap. The photographs below show the detail of the padded figures, close-up of the feathers and the…
-
This week’s Spotify playlist
In this week’s list of music and sound that accompanies the blog there are references to International Women’s Day, wedding dresses, nursing, weaving and more. The playlist is on Spotify and paid subscribers can listen to all the tracks without interruption while free subscriptions will have advertising breaks. Anyone without a subscription will hear extracts…