This exhibit showcases a 2008 winner of the Library Prize for Undergraduate Research, an honors thesis prepared by My Chau under the direction of Joanna Williams, Professor, History of Art.
My Chau argues that patola textile has an international appeal across India and Indonesia. She highlights two distinctive textiles: Patola in Gujarat, India and geringsing in Bali, Indonesia from the perspective of "religious, economic and social systems." Her thesis further explores the preservation and the sacred and elite status of patola in various kinds of powder, temple, and palace paintings in Kerala, India.
My Chau’s research was conducted through a visual analysis of a geringsing textile in the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris during her study abroad program in fall 2006 and the Gujarati patola textile in the Phoebe Hearst Museum as well as 48 illustrations cited in her thesis. To enrich her primary sources research, she followed up with scholars for more research inquiries in addition to checking out UCB library resources and requesting interlibrary loan items.
The annual Library Prize attracts the very best undergraduate papers from courses taught in departments across the campus. It recognizes excellence in undergraduate research projects that show evidence of significant inquiry using the library, its resources, and collections, and learning about the research and information-gathering process itself.
Textile image: "Bali Style" Patolu. Gujarat, India for the Indonesian Market. Silk; double ikat. 18th/19th century. Collection of Thomas Murray, Mill Valley, CA.
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