Blood on Silk: Field of Flowers ( Detail )

Blood on Silk: Field of Flowers  ( Detail )

This is a detail of the work which consists of thirty of these plinths. On each will sit three or more hand sewing baskets re-lined with beaded floral fabrics, embroidered flowers, oya or gold paper flowers over the original red, pink or orange linings of the baskets. This work references cultural material brought to the UK by Sir Aurel Stein and his archaeological expeditions specifically from Dunhuang and Miran in China. Early textiles from 300 to 400 A.D. were loaned to the British Museum, British Library, the India Office and the V and A.
When in London I was able to research some of the textile material removed by Stein and now in the Victoria and Albert Museum collection including silk flowers. It is though that originally they formed canopies or fields of flowers within Buddhist temples along the silk route.

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