Textile: Giant Applique Introduction
Giant Applique TextilesGiant appliqué textile art is a specialized form that creates large-scale ceremonial and religious works often based on painted examples. These works of art are especially known for their size, which can be monumental. The early history and origins of this giant textile tradition has not yet been fully studied and published.
The giant artworks are primarily used for religious and ceremonial purposes. They are almost always displayed on the exterior walls of large temple buildings of Buddhist or Bon monasteries during special annual festivals. Sometimes they serve as a backdrop for ceremonies or as a central focus for rituals, or large public initiation ceremonies. In locations with steep landscape the textiles are draped down the side of a mountain. In north-eastern Tibet and Mongolia where the landscape is more flat and rolling then a scaffold might be erected for displaying the giant textiles.
There is a deeper spiritual component that is sometimes used to explain the importance of displaying the textiles. Within the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism there is the concept of Six Liberations and one of these is called the Liberation Through Seeing. Examples of this liberation would include the unveiling of a giant textile, or seeing the Black Hat ritual of the Karmapas.
The term "appliqué" refers to a technique where fabric shapes are sewn onto a larger piece of cloth to form the numerous religious figures and deities. In the context of Tibetan and Himalayan giant textile art, this involves the creation of vast artworks with intricate designs depending on how many figures are included. Due to their size, these textiles require a team of skilled tailors working collaboratively to complete. Often, entire villages would help with the cutting and sewing.
Brightly colored silks and satins are often used, as with other Tibetan textile arts. For some important ceremonial pieces, real gold thread might also be incorporated.
Exactly like the smaller-scale textile art and paintings, the compositions, subjects and motifs are deeply rooted in Buddhist and Bon iconography. The figures can range from depictions of Buddhas, teachers, various deities and sometimes intricate mandalas. The vast size of the larger of these textiles ensures that they are visible from a great distance, providing a visually powerful and 'liberating' experience during religious events.
Because of the size and the materials used, storing and preserving these textiles is challenging. When not displayed they are tightly rolled from the bottom to the top. They are vulnerable to environmental factors such as sunlight, rain, wind, rodents and insects. Many older pieces have been destroyed due to the elements and general wear. Typically the over-sized textiles are kept in the large storehouses of monasteries. Occasionally, very long sheds are constructed for storage, but usually those are only found within large monasteries where they likely keep many giant textiles for the different annual festivals. The textiles are also heavy and difficult to transport sometimes requiring fifty or more people to move from storage to the display location and back again.
The tradition of giant textile art underscores the vital role of textiles as a medium in the religious and cultural practices of the Tibetan and Himalayan regions. They are a testament to the dedication and skill of the communities that continue to use and venerate them.
Shinzo Shiratori, 8-2023
Liberation through sensory encounters in Tibetan Buddhist practice. James Gentry. Revue d’Etudes Tibétaines, no. 50. 2019.
(The images below are only a selection of examples from the links above).
