On Wednesday 17th December, Borderline opened a special exhibition titled Karen Heritage Textiles showcasing the work of Vicky Bamforth and Saw Yeh Htoo Chit.

Karen Heritage Textiles is a photographic and textile exhibition that celebrates historic Karen cloth from Burma and Thailand. Focusing on richly decorated wedding cloths, this exhibition unfolds the secrets of traditional homespun; revealing myths surrounding stitches, uncovering recipes for dyeing cotton and displaying historic clothes, one-off pieces painstakingly woven for special occasions.

Together with portraits of Karens and the homespun their families have preserved over generations, and more than half a century of conflict, the exhibition provides fascinating insights into textile production, and the lives of those living in the Karen hills of Burma and Thailand from the early 20th century.

Textiles were collected and photographed for the exhibition by Vicky Bamforth, a photographer and writer based in the UK and Thailand, whose work has appeared in Marie Claire, Geographical magazine, The Times, Disasters, and Forced Migration Review and Saw Yeh Htoo Chit, an ethnic Karen based in the UK and Thailand, who studied documentary photography and still life and works as a lighting specialist on fashion and commercial shoots in the UK.

Opening reception: You are invited to join us and meet the artists at the opening reception taking place at Borderline Gallery from 6:00pm to 9:00pm on Wednesday 17th December. The exhibition will be on until 31 December 2008.

Karen Heritage Textiles art works