Handwoven Wall Art - 4

This set of nine handwoven wall panels is the work of nine of Burma's most talented weavers. Each panel has been woven by a different weaver and takes up to a week to weave. They are woven on traditional wooden backstrap looms by refugees in IDP camps just north of Yangon. 

Burma’s textiles are arguably the richest part of their craft culture. Each of the country’s 135+ ethnic groups has its own patterns and traditional techniques which have been passed down through the generations.

We wanted both to celebrate this exquisite, ancient craft, and elevate it to the status of art. We also wanted to support these weavers who have been displaced from their homes in Burma’s western Rakhine state by civil war and have spent the last two years living in makeshift homes in IDP camps an hour north of Yangon. They have had to rebuild their lives from scratch, and this project has provided much-needed income at a challenging time. 

We partnered with Turquoise Mountain who have taken the weavers through a training programme which has resulted in this spectacular piece of art.

Each piece speaks to the next, and the whole is a beautiful, intricate expression of the variety and harmony of the weaving motifs of this ethnic group. Through these works, we will tell the stories behind the motifs, and draw attention to what we believe to be the most interesting part of Myanmar’s craft culture.