Free Talk | Textiles of East Indonesia

Red, White, and Blue: Naturally Dyed Textiles of East Indonesia

Stretching across the equator, the Republic of Indonesia is a group of archipelagos that consists of approximately 18,000 islands with over 360 official ethnic groups. The Lesser Sunda Isles, also known as East Nusa Tenggara, encompass the islands from Sumba to Timor. Textiles play important roles in traditional society. Dr. McIntosh will discuss some roles handwoven cloth possesses in various parts of East Indonesia, and the importance of natural dyes – mainly indigo and morinda – in textile production and their symbolism.

Talk by: Linda S. McIntosh, PhD, independent curator and textile researcher

Currently based in Luang Prabang, Laos, and Bali, Indonesia, Dr. Linda McIntosh is an independent researcher on Southeast Asian textiles and a consultant on community-based tourism and heritage projects in Laos and Bali, Indonesia. McIntosh has curated exhibitions in Laos, Thailand, and the United States. Her book on the Tilleke & Gibbins Textile Collection was published in 2012, and the publication of a 300+-page book she is writing on the Casa Asia-Francisco Capelo collection of Indonesian textiles and jewellery is scheduled to be released at the end of 2019.