When we were putting together this exhibition, it occurred to us how much the silk fiber resembled Chinese culture and history. The silk filament of the cocoon is long (2,000 to 50,000 feet), unbelievably fine yet strong and lasting. This thin filament when woven into thread and fabric can give enjoyment with its beauty and can hearken back to ancient symbols in its decoration. Its production can feed huge masses while the silk bedecks a tiny number at the top of the social orders in the world. Silk can be wonderful for the mind, the eye and the sense of touch. The creator of the silk object and its decorator can communicate with the connoisseur, while time and space disappear. Isn't this the definition of art? We would like to mention a bit about the history and techniques of silk weaving and decoration and also about pile rugs with Chinese and Sino-Tibetan origin.

The Chinese have produced silk from about the year 3,000 B.C. Wild silkworms (Rondotia menciana Moore) and domesticated silkworms (Bombyx mori L.) can be traced back through excavation of Neolithic sites in China. The artificially cut cocoon of the wild silkworm was found in the Shanxi Province excavation... read more