Gold Cloths Of Sumatra Indonesias Songkets From Ceremony To Commodity

"This study combines the interpretive approaches of textile scholarship and cultural anthropology to explore songket aesthetics, as this remarkable shining gold cloth moves beyond ceremonial contexts to become a "hot item" as a marketable commodity, for sale as heritage textile and collectible. Chapters focus on contemporary songket craft by Minangkabau, Palembang, and Jambi weavers, set against a background of 19th century songket weaving excellence. The book offers case studies of Minangkabau and Palembang heritage cloth businesses, to better savor songket as an Indonesian art form enmeshed in history."--Jacket.