The Swiss textile industry in the 18th and 19th centuries was a period of great prosperity, with many patterns produced in Switzerland actually originating from the East. In Glarus, for instance, factories mass-produced fabrics that imitated batik, drawing patterns like paisley from Javanese handmade batik techniques. Having learned traditional hand-drawn batik techniques of Miao minority* in her hometown of Guizhou, Southwest China, Han reinterpreted this process: she used beeswax to imitate patterns from Glarner Tüechli onto fabric, stroke by stroke, and then hand-dyed each piece with natural indigo. Unlike traditional methods where the wax is removed at the end, the artist chose to leave it on the fabric. Each piece carries the unique marks of handcrafted work.
*The Miao people, an ethnic minority primarily located in Southwest China where the artist is from, have a rich tradition of textile culture and craftsmanship, including batik, embroidery, paper-cutting, and silverwork. In Miao batik, patterns are hand-drawn with beeswax as a resist, then dyed with natural indigo. Beyond decoration, the patterns also hold cultural significance, recording history, clan heritage, and totemic beliefs.
Glarner Tüechli #2 by Jiaxi Han
- Technique: beeswax on cotton, indigo dyed
- Size: 51cm x 51cm
- Created in 2024
The work is unique, with a collector's value and an original signature.
