To Give Without Discrimination

TEXTILES L’institution du premier laboratoire national national laboratoire premier L’institution du Thaïlande.la identitésculturellesdiversesde ches et variées, honorant et préservant ainsi les ri royales, et indigènes tribales, textiles tions tradi les rassemble musée le royal, mécénat lade Thaïlande aideretpeuple.son Sousson textilepatrimoine le préserverpour national digènes et celles en péril, fonder un organisme vie pour faire renaître les traditions textiles in par Sa Majesté la reine Sirikit tout au long de sa Bangkok, point culminant des efforts déployés ratoirede conservation des textiles aouvert à En 2011, le premier musée des textiles et labo Résumé reviewed in this paper. launch and sustain this new textile center are to Majesty Her by employed strategies and tion with other Asian museums. The successes educa and outreach and programs, hibition and lab facilities, long term treatment and ex storage art the of state team, conservation trained a with Asia;destination forservation preservation. Its mandate is to become a con cultural long-term to commitment serious a marks center training and lab conservation textile national first Thailand’s Establishing identities. cultural Thailand’sdiverse serving pre and honoring – traditions textile royal and indigenous, tribal, varied and rich the royal patronage, the museum brings together textileheritage, andassist Herpeople. Under preserveThailand’s organizationtotionwide and endangered textile traditions, build a na indigenous revive to effort lifetime Sirikit’s Queen Majesty Her of culmination the kok: textile conservation laboratory opens in Bang and museum textile first Thailand’s 2011, In Abstr PORT Foundation arts, enous reinterpretation, dress court identity, cultural Keywords: *Author for correspondence [email protected] [email protected]; Bangkok, Thailand Museumof Sirikit Queen Textiles Piyamon Pochoom [email protected] Bangkok, Thailand Museumof Sirikit Queen Textiles Paricha [email protected] www.caringfortextiles.com Washington, DC,USA Julia M.Brennan* a t Saengsirik

ct Thailand, rural development, rural textile arts revival, revival, arts textile textile heritage, heritage, textile ulchai indig SUP ------of this multi-disciplinary,of this endeavor( multi-cultural rehousing programs. Finally, the paper will explain the vision for the future of a Thai-based conservation materials network, and long term storage and exhibitions, selected conservation treatments, on-going training, inauguralthe museum, the developmentestablishmentproject,ofheritage textile the of history the review will paperconservators. textileThis Thai of generation conservation of Thai textiles and a hub for the sustained training of thethe first for center regional a as museum the promote will staff professional Supported by a state of the art storage facility, conservation lab, and – galleries,a vision that venerates and preserves Thailand’s diverse cultural identities. for the long term preservation of Thailand’s rich and varied textile traditions GrandthePalace,culminationmuseumthe the is Queen Sirikit’sof vision Thaitextiles for study, preservation and display. Housed on the grounds of Bangkok. This new museum brings together the great diversity of traditional Thailand’s first textile museum and textile conservation2011, laboratory September opens in In heritage. textile Thailand’s preserve to organization indigenous Thai identify to andworked has endangered Sirikit Queen Majesty textile Her years, forty traditions For and build a rurally-based nationwide Introduction Queen Sirikit Museumof Sirikit Queen Textiles. building onthegrounds Renovated oftheGrand Palace 19th-century Figure 1 tr preserve Thaitextile 40-year effortto Queen Sirikit’s Her Majesty discrimina T o givewithout aditions Figur tion:

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1 TEXTILES photographer, Bureau oftheRoyal Household weaving workshop, 1966. Photo by the Royal An visitby early Their to Majesties Khao Tao Figure 2 y mantener este nuevo centro textil. tegiasempleados por Su Majestad para lanzar estra y éxitos los revisa artículo Asiáticos.Este educacióncolaboraciónen otrosconmuseos y divulgación de programas y plazo, largo a exposiciones y tratamientos de programas bodegascon las instalaciones más avanzadas, podeconservación capacitado, laboratorios y equi un concuenta que lo para conservación, tirse en el primer destino asiático en materia de conver en consiste mandato plazo.Su largo a seriocompromiso con la preservación cultural detextiles ycentro de formación, deja claro el conservación de laboratorionacional primer tidadesculturales de Tailandia.La creación del honrando y preservando así las diferentes iden nes textiles tribales e indígenas ricas y variadas, tradicio recoge museo el real, mecenazgo al textilde Tailandiaayudary suagente. Gracias nivelnacionala paraconservar patrimonioel organizaciónpeligro,una crearen indígenas ReinaSirikitrevivirportradicioneslas textiles esfuerzosMajestadtodaSuvidaunadede la textilesde Tailandia.Fue la culminación de los textil y laboratorio de conservación de objetos museo primer el Bangkok en abrió 2011 En Resumen décrits dans cet article. et soutenir ce nouveau centre sur le textile sont stratégies adoptées par Sa Majesté pour lancer conservation pour toute l’Asie. Les succès et les ment a vocation de devenir une destination de avec d’autres musées asiatiques, cet établisse d’éducationactionsproximitédes detion, et d’exposiprogrammes des durée, longue de traitements des proposant pointe, fine la à re d’installations d’entreposage et d’un laboratoi conservationd’uneéquipeDotéde qualifiée, envers la préservation culturelle à long terme. en Thaïlande marque un engagement sérieux et centre de formation de conservation textile ------the the country to to projects designed establish poverty alleviate and mitigate throughout travelled Queen and King Thailand’s in 1960s, the Beginning and SUPPORTfound History oftherur of traditional crafts of rural communities might also invigorate their their invigorate also might economies ( communities rural of crafts traditional of rejuvenation the that and declined steadily had basketry such and weaving as activities traditional that found They Thais. rural all for life daily They were then, and still are, deeply committed to the improvement of health clinics, and skills training (Office of Permanent Secretary 2008, reforestation, projects, agricultural innovative through disasters natural ( in into the and both home decor urban fashion Thai identity are integrated textiles are exhibited and sold throughout the world, and more importantly, generations.future for legacyToday,vibrant aestablishing SUPPORT in also but traditions, only cultural and not in artistic of Thailand’s many preserving successful been has effort the turn, In pride. of source and identity poor national a into rural culture of the expressions assist regional to those turned effort has an as started what crafts, indigenous of (Rampiapha livelihood their improve thus and crafts in traditional engaged are people 300,000 than More provinces. 50 in facilities trainingand branch 145 and basketry centers main vine nine has ware, Foundation SUPPORT the Today, lacquer carving. wood silver and embellishment, gold as wing such beetle arts court niello, of revival the include crafts Other livelihood. create and arts indigenous revive to simple: was goal The arts, particularly textiletraditional arts (Rampiapha many of revival successful the to led turn in which women, structure to implement the Queen’s goal organized to help the an rural poor, particularly created Occupations Foundation) (SUPPORT Supplementary Techniques of Related and Promotion the for Foundation the of these beautiful producing textiles thatin had nearly become interest extinct. new In 1976, the establishment inspired display public Her occasions. public on worn proudly were which clothes, own Her of making the in textiles for Her own personal use. She used these newly woven fabrics opportunities, The Queen commissioned village women to weave traditional In an effort to preserve precious cultural identity and promote supplemental techniques. the traditional of the and many textiles obsolete ethnographic render increasing could the clothing that style western of recognized adoption also She 14–22). 1990, (Veeranuwat tradition beautiful and rich a of examples recognizing remaining the were rags, these that these collecting started Majesty Her homes. their in was rags the textiles used by cleaning women and village other traditional woven regionally old of samples for source unexpected An trips. these during techniques rare and samples The textile clothing, historic catalogued Queen collected Figur e 3). Figur Kasemsri e 2). Keenly interested in local handicrafts and ethnic ethnic and handicrafts local in interested Keenly 2). e matmee 2002, 201). Through the systemized promotion promotion systemized the Through 201). 2002, al development projects a or ikats (tying and dying pattern technique) technique) pattern dying and (tying ikats or tion 40‑ Kasemsri Her Majesty QueenSirikit’s year effortto preserve Thai textiletr 2002, 14). T discrimina o givewithout

aditions tion:

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TEXTILES Balmain, LosBalmain, Angeles, 1985 Hotel in arrivingat Sheraton Sirikit Queen Grand Figure 4 Household the Royal photographer, Bureau oftheRoyal Kae,Sakonnakorn, 1985.PhotoNhong by suit, tours sericulture SUPPORT projects, Ban Her Majesty, wearing acouture Figure 3 matmee dress designed by matmee

invented a new fashion paradigm: inspiring multiple weaving workshops; workshops; weaving multiple inspiring a invented paradigm: new fashion to create a She Thai made wardrobe textiles. from stunning village-woven The Queen’s determination to promote SUPPORT weavers inspired Her Promoting na modern and easy to wear. These court costumes served to promote promote heritage to national rich a of served symbol visible a as costumes costume Thai court traditional These wear. to more easy little a and them make modern to designs the different reinterpreting several costumes, popularized court and revived She Therefore, identity. of improved and ‘civilized’ through a strong physical and cultural display recognized that Thailand’s national and international identity could be by both Communist and Colonial neighbors. Politically astute, The Queen characterized a region of part was Thailand 1960s, and 1950s late the In of (Office pants and 342–561). skirt 2000, Identity western Thai popular wildly the past, the by of out relic a pushed becoming rapidly was clothing court photographs, white and black old and paintings wall in Seen Dress. Court Thai Royal popularizingtraditionaland revivingeffortsincluded Her also styles. and arts textile traditional revive sometimes, and, encourage to her led culture and arts Thai traditional in interest early Sirikit’s Queen high fashion and the most desirable fashion in Thailand ( costumes reinforce the message that couture traditional indigenous These textiles are museum. new the in display for chosen been Her have 2000, wear. evening into through 1960 fashioned years the from 55 outfits, designed Majesty’sspecially textiles Thai wearing are women capital of Bangkok, to attend a black tie event where a majority of the conscious fashion today’s in uncommon not is It textiles. and crafts traditional of celebration a national to acceptance mere beyond attitude Thai mainstream moved has Queen The fashion, personal Through dresses using Thai textiles. western-style stunning create to Valentino and designers Givenchy, Dior, as such international with worked of Queen The House the addition, In with Balmain. relationship 30-year a and Rapee House; Nu Yuthapong, and Noi Pichita, Nai as such designers Thai young of work the traditionally five meters of elaborate silk brocade folded, tucked, tucked, folded, brocade silk elaborate of meters five traditionally Thezipper. a with bodice one-shoulder elegant an into For design. traditional the example, updated and fabrics special these integrate costumes eight ( effortsQueen’s The by revived been have that those include that techniques weaving using textiles, elaborate different from sewn is styles eight the of Today,eachmidnight. to morning from functions, social of range a for suitable is each elaboration, in Varying aides. her and Majesty Her by promoted and developed were outfits and with the design expertise of Pierre Balmain, eight official Thai court The Queen conducted research into the historical records of royal costume, 1970s. and 1960s the in visits state Majesty’s Her for tional identitythroughThitextiles sabai ,

or breast wrapper cloth, was modified modified was cloth, wrapper breast or 40‑ Her Majesty QueenSirikit’s year effortto preserve Thai textiletr T discrimina o givewithout Figur Figur aditions pha noong pha e tion:

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TEXTILES the Royal Household Photo by theRoyal photographer, Bureau of toSangwong HM),Northeast (next Thailand. Balmain Ref. No.164006 giving herboleroHer Majesty ( Figure 6 costume, 1982 court Bangkok, Balmain Ref. No. 168443 wearing ready-to-wearHer Majesty ( Figure 5 ) to Mrs. Tie ) Thai traditional Pierre Pierre once-innovative designs are now part of mainstream Thai dress. They They ThailandMiss uniforms,dress. school Friday for inspiration as served have Thai mainstream of part now are designs once-innovative transformed into an easy to wear elegant evening dress or pant suit. These pleated and shaped into a skirt or advisors, to establish trust among the villagers to promote the revivalthepromote villagersto theamong establishtrust toadvisors, team the took It lost. multiple trips to mildewed the nearly villages, collaborating with were and health and that agricultural soiled patterns original faded, the lay the scraps, among Hiding possible. tattered old as many as samples collect to Secretaries her of team a asked Queen Observing silk 126–127). 2008, Secretary Permanent of (Office scholarships academic another receive to and fields the in work to family per child one allocated Queen Theweaving, village-based inspiring to addition In King. The by led efforts development agricultural rural of a by-product was weaving the of revival The variables. other and weather of challenges the to due Thailand, a largely agricultural area with a historically unstable economy matmee extinct nearly the revitalized project heritage national first the 1970, In Na Pho ikat efforts to revive traditional Thai textiles: the revival of silk of reach the the SUPPORTbroad Two foundation’s highlight studies case studies R 18th- to 20th-century precedents. This gallery juxtaposes the contemporary costume versions with their ( identity national Thai of part become has dress court of remarkable preservation story, and how the revival and reinterpretation thisto devoted is museum the at gallery permanent One airlines. and hoteliers for uniforms hospitality and dresses wedding competitions, Tie’s house ( Mrs. and villages Northeastern to visits first Queen’s The of and photos jacket the displaying by revival weaver the heritage of to story homage touching this pays and proudly museum new The arms. her in it cradling was she 2008, in died she when and jacket royal the treasured weaver The fabric. the reproduce to her asked and weavers, first the Her gave She 1978, In reproducing the old projects, weaving and sericulture women’s first the to led love and Trust first the from cut jacket Balmain a wearing the of one to visit a made Sirikit Queen of traditional weaving (Published interviews with Secretaries 2002). escuing indigenous textile tr textile indigenous escuing ; and the resurgence of supplementary weft patterned silk. (Buriram Province) andtherevival ofsilk or silk ikat weaving tradition of the Northeastern region of region Northeastern the of tradition weaving ikat silk or Figur matmee e 6). matmee scraps in use as rags in poor village homes, The The homes, village poor in rags as use in scraps matmee patterns and reviving the natural dye colors. colors. dye natural the reviving and patterns Balmain jacket to Mrs. Tie, one of of one Tie, Mrs. to jacket Balmain pha sin 40‑ a Her Majesty QueenSirikit’s or “harem-style” pants, was was pants, “harem-style” or matmee ditions – two c two – ditions year effortto preserve matmee Thai textiletr matmee producing villages producing T discrimina o givewithout revival weaving. weaving. revival production aditions matmee Figur tion: a se se e 5). e

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TEXTILES Saengsirikulchai Grand Palace, 2010.Photograph by Parichat withtheRoyaltextiles HouseholdStaff, teamConservation training andrehousing Figure 8 the Royal Household Photo by theRoyal photographer, Bureau of weavers of with Her Majesty Figure 7 praewa Phu Thai , Ban Phon, Kalasin, 1982. Phon,, Ban Kalasin, ethnicgroup, During a 1977 visit to the impoverished ethnic impoverished the to visit 1977 a During weft patterned silk Ban Phon northeast province of Kalasin, the Queen was welcomed with a ‘carpet’ of the villagers presented her with a in of 1977, region When Sakonnakorn The the Queen visited northeastern pillows and woven by mothers for their sons when they joined the monkhood. Similar to are the most coveted and expensive of Thai textiles ( the time, a rapidly vanishing tradition. deep red supplementary weft patterned sashes, unique to this group, and, at the United States. States. United the and Europe from products archival and of the cost high importing textiles rehouserepositoryvastneedtotheThailand.driventheroyal by ofis It critical component to building a center textile sustainable conservation for amaterials.orderis toThis use can museums other thatresource online materials. The goal is to develop a local market in South East Asia and an plastics and other manufacturers to locally produce high-grade conservation paper, local with is working museum the in Thailand, produced materials Because there resource. materials are conservation no Thai-based archival a establishing is team conservation the of endeavors major the of One built. customized been has units with housing Delta facility storage art the of state a museum, the Within vacuum, roll, box, photograph and rehouse these old collections ( of preservation: procuring archival materials and training palace staff to Palace Grand the on grounds. The Treasuries museum team serves in as advisors and partners on housed the protocol textiles royal 20th-century to 16th- of rehousing and survey the include projects term long Several exhibitions. inaugural the for textiles non-royal and Queen’s The both of treatment the and centuries, dating to and royal the collections ethnographic 18th and collections, 19th foundation the cataloguing and re-housing involves project multi-year This collections. personal Majesty’s Her and holdings, Foundation’s 15,000 over textiles drawn from the vast storeroomshouse of the Grand Palace, SUPPORT will facility storage The interpretation. and display public treatment, conservation textiles, royal textiles, ethnographic and rural to given is priority of equal field museum, the Within the in conservation. textile Thais training and people Thai the serving to dedicated be to Thailand in first the is Textiles of Museum Sirikit Queen The protocol Est Council 2006, 29). Research (National fabric this from daily jackets wearing by fabric this patterns, She commissioned yardage, reduced the pattern size, and popularized ablishing theconserv praewa andresurgence of cloth is khid, which was traditionally used for making Praewa khid a tion centerandtre pillow. Enamored with the elaborate 2 Today, these complex supplementary 40‑ Her Majesty QueenSirikit’s year effortto preserve Thai textiletr Phu Thai Phu praewa T Figur discrimina o givewithout villages in the the in villages e 7). masterpieces masterpieces aditions Figur tion: tment

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TEXTILES maintain a strong conservation ethic and preservation expertise, so that so expertise, preservation and ethic conservation strong a maintain center, textile central a huge of operation smooth establish to is goal The registrars. and managers collections curators, as such team, museum the The team conservation works to collaborate and educate other members of a wide array of storage conditions, some of which were less than ideal, ideal, than less were which of some conditions, storage of array wide a in housed been have the collections Because exhibition. for the inaugural textiles of treatment the been has work conservation of component One infrastructure for treatment, analysis and exhibition and storage preparation. The conservation lab is a full scale facility, with wet cleaning capacity, and in the inaugural exhibit – in total, more than 140 textiles. mounts and forms of all typologies for the vast range of textiles included areas of work has been designing, constructing, customizing and installing facility. One in of in boxes the the free new largest acid storage rehousing before underway, is collections all freeze to project Amassive place. in is pests and temperature RH, both monitoring for system active an and dimensional textiles. Integrated pest management has been implemented three and fragmentary flat, for supports storage and display customized of three-dimensional mounts, invisible mounts, flat and roller mounts, and in production instruction hands-on has included: training The 2009–2011 publish the typology, and utilize it in preservation outreach in Thailand. the design teams and curatorial staff. The long term goal is to expand with use and in tool communication successful very a already is compilation This display. of methods safe for guidelines clear provide to projections display plan. The catalogue includes three-dimensional and architectural type and by is and an qualities, condition physical categorized appropriate of a graphic researchers, and conservators. A second major project is the development into textiles and an ethnographic for indexed resource collectors, curators, types cloth court all the historic and standardize this book will summarize English) and(Thaibi-lingual a of publication and compilation the is project One way. under already are projects important several goal, that Tofurther legacy. a living is heritage cultural Thai revitalize to work Majesty’s Her heritage. The museum will showcase the diverse and creative processes that textile its through identities cultural collective and individual Thailand’s The Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles is the result of 40 years of preserving C in Thailand, and thus become a forum for shared training and research. museum is to become a central conservation facility for other institutions thedyer. localof goala Theof advice the with site, on dyed are fabrics repair and Support crepeline. silk or stabiltex with overlays as well as linings, support full involved have brocades silk delicate of treatments Stabilization clothing. couture to attached embellishments cleaning and removing mold and mildew through stain removal; overall wet cleaning; the condition of many textiles is compromised. Treatments have included: onclusion Dictionary of Thai TextileTypeThai Terminologyof Dictionary Catalogue of Textile Mounting Typologies 40‑ Her Majesty QueenSirikit’s year effortto preserve Thai textiletr T discrimina o givewithout . Each Thai textile . When complete, complete, When . aditions tion:

6

TEXTILES used by Her Majesty: Majesty: Her by used were strategies successful several tradition, a rich cultural and continuing pursued, elsewhere. Within the overarching goal of preserving, promoting, were used to accomplish important cultural goals that can, and should be 2 1 Notes conservation and the study of Thai textiles is being planned for 2012. ethnographic populations. An international conference devoted to textile rural and court, Royal Majesty,the Her of textiles the through identity Thai of understanding an promote and interpret research, preserve, will marks a serious commitment to their long-term preservation. This museum The creation of the first national textile conservation lab and training center 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Suvicha. Bangkok: The Support Foundation of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand. K Rampiaph Phraya Anumanrajathon. Vol. I Prince of life National Research costume), Bangkok: Amarin Printing and Publishing. 2005. Thailand. of Council Research National Ayuttha Sirikit of Thailand. Annez, P. References

is a Thai metric term = 2 meters). Praewa into principal and striped pattern sections. sections. pattern striped and principal into Praewa Queen. The Majesty Her of creation the considered are designs eight All complex. palace in Grand the places historic for is named design each ensembles, evening formal Chakkri, Dusit, Chakkraphat and Siwalai. The eight official designs are named: officialare eightdesigns The

promotion of sumptuous Thai textiles and traditional costume as applicable ensuring that a formal institution was created to serve as both a showcase building national cultural pride by using the textiles in Her Majesty’s revitalizing and reinventing traditional weaving techniques the capacity of the region to preserve its cultural patrimony. enhance to facility training academic serious a and efforts these for to life (and dress) in the modern world, and finally own state wardrobe as a public symbol of Thai heritage greater economic stability in poor regions of the country finding samples for use by modern weavers using traditional weaving and other crafts as a means of promoting of means a as crafts other and weaving traditional using identifying the elements of the textile heritage that were at risk and and risk at were that heritage textile the of elements the identifying . Bangkok: National Research Council of Thailand. , also spelled Naritsaranuw y 1994. 1985. a, T.K.S.N. asemsri,

Some splendid crafts of the Support Foundation of of crafts Her Queen Some the Foundation Majesty splendid Support Moonrise in United States Bangkok: The Siam Society. Phrae Wa 1996. C ouncil of Thailand. . Pranakorn: Social Science of Thailand. attiwonges. M.R. , derives the name from the length or “wa” of cloth Tham pen Dhamma 2002. Ruean Ton, Chitralada, Amarin, Borom Phiman, Phiman, Borom Amarin, Ton, Chitralada, Ruean is a very complex compound weave divided From the simple casual day ensemble, to the the to ensemble, day casual simple the From The Support Foundation and handicrafts and Foundation Support The . Bangkok: Darnsutha Press Co., Ltd. Rajaphassatrabhorn 1963. 40‑ Her Majesty QueenSirikit’s . Bangkok: Bangkok Printing. year effortto preserve Thai textiletr General General recorded for knowledge 2006. T discrimina The The SUPPORT: candle o givewithout

(Royal textile and and textile (Royal aditions tion: (1 (1 wa

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TEXTILES the Queen on the auspicious occasion of her 60th birthday anniversary, 12th August 1992 Teekara, T. Printing. Relationship between Her Majesty Queen Sirikit and the Rural Weaver). Bangkok: Bangkok Veeranuw Company. King the Majesty His of visits state the of memory RoyThe the nation. The Vol. 1 The Chiang Mai University. Mai Th Bangkok: of A of Bank The interview, 5 May 2002. e

Office of Thailand Identity. . Bangkok: Amarin Printing and Publishing. Office of Ce University. n

The Bank of Asia.

al Bangkok: Amarin Printing and Publishing. ter at C., C fo ompo , and V the Permanet ecretarS r sia. . 1996. 1990.

t T.S. Lu h of sitions e 1992. P Thai textiles: threads of a cultural heritage cultural a of threads textiles: Thai Mudmee Mai Thai Saiyai Chonnabot Saiyai Thai Mai Mudmee r ang omo Support Foundation: presents this publication to H.M. H.M. to publication this presents Foundation: Support thep ti Her on of A of on . Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles Archives, 2000. n Sirikit MajestQueen y . 2nd edition. Bangkok: Kilen Printing Printing Kilen Bangkok: edition. 2nd . 40‑ Her Majesty QueenSirikit’s rts Thai Costumes: grom past to present, year effortto preserve Thai textiletr y.

a 2008. nd nd T C discrimina o givewithout Queen Sirikit: glory of glory Sirikit: Queen u

lt (Thai Ikat Silk: the the Silk: Ikat (Thai u re aditions . Chiang Mai: Mai: Chiang . , , tion: C . 2004. h ia

ng ng In In 8 .