"The Kyrghyz and their Reed Screens" by John L. Sommer A BOOK ABOUT THE CENTRAL ASIAN KYRGYZ PEOPLE AND THEIR LITTLE-KNOWN REED SCREENS CONTAINING A CATALOG FOR THE EXHIBITION, KYRGYZ REED SCREENS MOUNTED AT THE MARKETPLACE FOR DESIGN CENTER FOR THE 8TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ORIENTAL CARPETS (PHILADELPHIA, OCTOBER 31 - NOVEMBER 4, 1996)
FEATURING:
Reed Screens - basic furnishings fo the Kyrgyz nomad's yurt - are made of tall grass stems, wrapped with dyed but unspun wood fibers, bound together. The art of the decorated reed screen has been raised to its highest level by Central Asian Kyrgyz and Kazak nomads. Nearly unknown here in the west, such reed screens often show the great skill of their master makers. Patterns and motifs resemble nomad flatwoven kilims (for which they well be precursors), rugs, and felts. Writings of prominent Soviet ethnographers who have studied the Kyrgyz people, their traditional lifestyle, beliefs and customs are included here, translated into English. Fifty archival photographs showing Kyrgyz reed screens from the "Kirghiz archaelogical- ethnographical expedition"- are published here for the first time. Included also are twenty-seven full-page color plates of Kyrgyz reed screens. John L. Sommer is a retired urological surgeon whose interest in the reed screens of Central Asian nomads has grown over the past decade. Experiences during two trips to Kyrgystan fixed his resolve to write this book which includes translated writings of several prominent Soviet ethnographers whose work is largely unknown here in the West. (An understanding of Kyrgya reed screens is enhanced by a knowledge of the people, their traditional lifestyle, their beliefs and their customs- areas this book addresses.) John Sommer and his good friend Fred Krieger have a Kyrgyz reed screen collection. He is a member of the board of directors of the Textile Arts Council (San Francisco Fine Arts Museums), a trustee of the Textile Museum (Washington DC) and president of the San Francisco Bay Area Rug Society. He is a member of the International Committee of the International Conference on Oriental Carpets and is a chairman of its executive committee. In 1990 he climbed Japan's Mount Fuji. He and his wife Donna live in Fremont, California. Their two sons are teachers. [from the book's jacket] From the author's introduction" "...it is hoped that the material in this book can serve as a believable and accessible tertiary source of information (and sometimes even a secondary source). Accordingly, entire sections of the original writing have been translated and are here published in accessible form. Much of this material has been unknown in this part of the world. It is tha editor's intent that the authors, through their own writing, may speak for themselves unfettered by western authors' restatemants of what has already been well stated." Order form: "The Kyrgyz and their Reed Screens" by John L. Sommer to order this book, fill out the form below and send it to: John L. Sommer, 4575 Odell Court, Fremont, CA 94536
ISBN: 1-889666-03-3 225 pages, 59 color photographs, 37 illustrations Send mail to the author (John L. Sommer) http://members.aol.com/donaldc101/KYRGYZ.HTM For Further Reading: Thanks and best wishes, J. Barry O'Connell Jr. |
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