John's excellent Asian artisan adventures
Seemingly inspired by Jim Thompson and what he accomplished in his abbreviated lifetime for Thai silk with his Thai Silk Company, textile designer John Robshaw, a graduate of Pratt Institute, has set up John Robshaw Textiles, and has made it his mission to support, assimilate and evolve Asian fabric-making traditions. Block prints from India, vegetable-dyed ikat from Thailand, Indonesian court batik prints and even Mindanao-inspired designs from the Philippines, as well as prints from Ghana, Turkey and Uzbekistan — they’ve all been given the Robshaw treatment, maintaining the look and feel of its original form, while giving them a fresh, contemporary look. It’s an updated spin on the exotic handmade object or design, imbuing it with a vibrancy that’s found major acceptance in the Western market that views this Asian provenance as something romantic and alluring. Beddings, pillows, dhurries, robes and shawls, and even a baby collection, the Robshaw collection is a fine example of one man’s belief and dedication to the work of Asian artisans, and how that vision has transformed the work of these artisans into something for the contemporary home.
Constantly experimenting on new techniques and working with workshops in India, Robshaw is also a consultant for Aid to Artisans, an NGO that aims to provide economic opportunities for craftspeople in developing countries. When one listens to Robshaw wax rhapsodic about the travel and immersion part of his vision and work, it’s like listening to a social anthropologist who has used fabric design as the entry point to a community and its culture. At the recent press launch, a Rockwell model unit was transformed into a showcase of how the various styles and designs would bring color and warmth to the various rooms — from the throw pillows in the living room, to the duvets, quilts and fitted sheets of the different bedrooms. Of special interest of course, was the Mindanao-inspired line.
Here in the Philippines, Robshaw Textiles is exclusively distributed by Silyado, Inc., a venture of three friends who share a common love for fabric and design. The three women are Julia Thomson-Fontana, Akiko Thomson-Guevara (yes, that Akiko Thomson!) and Leonora Cabili. The first major outlet they’ve established is at Focus Global Inc., at their Pioneer St. showroom. Let’s just pray Mr. Robshaw doesn’t decide to do a “walkabout” and tragically disappear as Mr. Thompson did in the late ‘60s. He’s much too precious a young visionary, and am sure there’s still so much he can do in giving the Asian artisan global recognition and support.
Childish behavior
Different aspects and types of childish behavior are on display in these three novels. Brom’s fantasy novel is a dark, macabre retelling of the Peter Pan tale, while A. S. Byatt’s new novel is a panoramic look at the period between the turn of the century and World War I, as seen through the eyes of an authoress of children’s books. Nick Hornby’s new novel is about never growing up in the music industry, and about being married without a sense of maturity or responsibility.
The Child Thief by Brom (available at National Bookstore): An established master of the fantasy genre, Brom now turns the classic Peter Pan tale on its head, making it a dark, violent and disturbing story. This is Peter from the dark side, “scoring” disaffected kids from contemporary Brooklyn, and whisking them away to Avalon (Neverland). Fourteen-year-old Nick steals from drug dealers, and just as he’s about to get his just desserts, Peter saves him — and of course, there’s a price to pay. The beauty of this novel is in the alternative world that’s conjured up, and strikingly rendered. There are twists and surprises in the story and characters — as is the case with the Captain. And there’s a superb confrontation scene between the two worlds in Central Park, NYC. A must-read!
The Children’s Book by A. S. Byatt (available at National Bookstore): Byatt is the author of Possession, and in this new novel, she takes on a whole era, with an easel that’s brim full with characters and events that impinge on the main characters. It’s essentially a family saga set during turn of the century Europe, leading to the First World War. Olive Wellwood is a well-known writer of Children’s Literature, and when her son comes across a vagabond child/artist at the Victoria and Albert, she proceeds to “adopt” the boy, bringing him into her “storybook” world of family and friends. With themes of the nascent women’s rights movement, Socialism and Anarchism, wafting through the novel, one is also rudely awakened from the idyllic picture of domestic life. A serious read.
Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby (available at The Different Bookstore): Best known for High Fidelity, and his pioneer status in Lad Lit (as opposed to Chick Lit), Hornby’s new book has a great conceit to get the story rolling. Annie and Duncan live in a small Welsh town, stuck in a childless relationship that’s going nowhere. Duncan’s one unfailing passion is the music of Tucker Crowe, a singer/songwriter who mysteriously disappeared from the scene in 1986, with one seminal album that fans all over the world, obsess over on a website. When a new album of stripped down demos is released, Annie, in anger, reviews the album and pans it, leading to recluse Tucker making contact with her. This is all about growing old and staying young, with Hornby’s trademark humor.
