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Rosie H. Cook

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Asialink+AsiaSoc.23March(1)

2017 Asialink Arts Residency

Crazed Puppets 04  Crazed Puppets

bundengan-01 This is not a Kowangan

aptccarn5 #APTCCARN5

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...and ending the day, Monday night. Today was bookended by vivid blue no-filter skies and yellow buildings. What a charmed life!
Monday morning, week 2 of holidays 🤩
Running after @iamagloworm through backstreets of Kaohsiung #rosielovesteal
A big shipment from the US arrived this morning, brimming with my terrible addiction, secondhand books about conservation and textiles. In the “Asian Textiles are gorgeous and I need to know everything” category, we have “Chinese Silks” edited by Dieter Kuhn and Zhao Feng, a monster of a volume which I got at a steep discount because the dustcover is torn. “Ruling from the Dragon Throne” and the similarly titled “In the Presence of the Dragon Throne”, both by John E. Bill Vollmer — upon investigation it appears the former, despite missing its dustcover, is more up to date and based heavily on the latter (helloooo self-plagiarism by the way!?), so not sure how useful the older book will be. Janet Harvey’s “Traditional Textiles of Central Asia” makes me wish I was writing assignments on the history, materials and techniques of textiles from Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the rest of this amazing region (my friend Rebecca is travelling to Kyrgyzstan right now and I’m dying of jealousy). Transitioning to conservation, via the one book I couldn’t get secondhand: Gwen Spicer’s very recent publication “Magnetic Mounting Systems for Museums & Cultural Institutions” — I am hoping to get to grips with using magnets for safely and discreetly displaying textiles, but there are some great case studies included eg. safe transport techniques. Far less of a conservation authority but a useful resource nonetheless (and practically free): “The Definitive Book on the Care and Preservation of Vinyl Dolls and Action Figures”, by Nicholas J Hill. I mentioned recently how some toy collections can end up being very valuable and requiring conservation care (remember the My Little Pony Project?) and this might come in handy. Finally, two conservation theory books: a somewhat battered copy of Chris Caple’s “Conservation Skills: Judgement, Method and Decision-Making” and another Archetype title, “Engaging Conservation: Collaboration across Disciplines” (edited by Owczarek, Gleeson and Grant). Lucky I’m on holiday with lots of time for reading 😅 #rosieshelfie #bookhaul #books #textiles #conservation #archetypepublications
New camera 📷 I’m so happy, my department finally has its own digital SLR! upgrading from my Olympus E-M5 to an E-M10III, here’s to sharper bigger faster Before and After Treatment photos 📸 Also I really like the design of the Olympus bag it was delivered to me in... it reminds me of how once upon a time I had photographic aspirations, and how at the back of my mind I never quite abandoned the belief that everything looks better in black and white #camera #olympus
What’s better than a beautiful textile? A beautiful stained, discoloured, grimy textile that has been gifted to me by my beloved colleague Chienhua, for me to experiment on to my heart’s content. This obi (Japanese kimono sash) is 4 metres long and 30cm wide, and whilst it’s not made from the fanciest materials it’s a wonderful addition to my “teaching collection”! #textileconservation #rosielovesteal #textiles #obi
If you’re looking for a way to celebrate surviving your first year at your amazing job as a textiles conservator in Kaohsiung, may I recommend river-tracing up to swim in a deep pool below a waterfall and then crossing the current across slippery rocks in the driving rain? Nothing like a taste of danger in beautiful places to make you feel 💯% alive (but covered head to toe because #sunsafe always) #taiwan #kaohsiung #pingtung #ilovetaiwan🇹🇼
My new favourite thing: “Conservation in progress” washi tape, from the Graduate Institute of Conservation of Cultural Relics @conservation.zone.66! Washi tape is like masking tape but made from Japanese washi rice paper — and low-tack adhesive, making it repositionable and reusable, easy to tear by hand, and so convenient for quickly throwing together a sign or tagging a tyvek cover over an object 😍😍😍 not to mention very pretty 😍😍😍#washitape #conservator #rosiesallwhites
#justconservatorthings When you test a new gel application and you’re one hour in with excellent contact and zero water wicking on your very absorbant mock-up canvas!! #conservationgels #conservator #textileconservation #rosiesallwhites
Yet another fantastic addition to my bookshelf turned up today... I’ve been eyeing this collection of papers about the conservation of modern textiles for a while, and recent projects at work have helped me make the leap. These are postprints from a 2005 conference so not the most recent research, but contain so many interesting case studies and topics nonetheless! Displayed here on my linen @gormanclothing trousers which are keeping me bright yet cool in the tropical heat 😓 #books #textileconservation #archetypepublications #rosieshelfie
The face of a James when he finally finishes four years of study. Repost @iamagloworm ・・・ Finally submitted my last paper to complete Masters of Humanitarian Assistance. Hooray and thank you @karl_and_karl for all your help 🏄‍♂️🦊
Putting a smile on my face this Sunday morning: scenes from the Hong Kong Ballet 40th Anniversary video — do check out @hongkongballet and @designarmy for more videos and photos and a link to the full video which is PURE JOY! I have watched it more than a few times already 😂 also I’m obsessed with the costume design and the men’s suits which have discrete but coloured inserts in the underarm and inseams so they can move with such amazing fluidity. Love of Hong Kong, of pastel colours, of ballet and of never standing still! #rosielovesrainbows
Tainan always delivers, even in the most unexpected ways... #uyghur calling for help in the face of China’s atrocities. #uyghurcalling #streetart
Whilst I’m showing off some of my recent book acquisitions: I have been scouring the internet for affordable copies of China’s Dragon Robes (Schuyler Canmann); A Collector’s Guide to Chinese Dress Accessories (Valery M. Garrett); and Chinese and Central Asian Textiles (selected articles from Orientations 1983-1997) — result! I did find also a very affordable copy of Zhao Feng’s Chinese Silks but it has gone missing in the post 😭. I’m however very pleased with this hardback edition of Robyn Maxwell’s “Textiles of Southeast Asia: Tradition, Trade and Transformation” — I got it in Yogyakarta last month, significantly cheaper (and heavier) than the paperback copy, and then lugged it all the way to Jakarta, Taipei and finally Kaohsiung 🎉 #textiles #books #bookhaul
Today’s haul after visit to Mollie’s Used Books in the city (@iamagloworm and I have been on a book-shopping binge this week, so many things ordered online too 😅). We found this cute second-hand Gudetama tote and filled it with: “Taiwan A to Z - The Essential Cultural Guide” by Amy C.Liu, which I found surprisingly insightful even as a veteran Taiwan resident, and I really recommend it. James found this neat bilingual Kaohsiung travel guide which presents different areas of the city through stories and legends — perfect for spontaneous local exploration! I’m also very pleased with this textbook for learning Taiwanese, with vocab lists in Taiwanese characters, romanised Taiwanese, traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese AND English... much less scary than my other Taiwanese language textbooks. From the English language section, I love the randomness of secondhand books that one uncovers here. Bilingual French-English Baudelaire (my justification: I love les Fleurs du Mal, and James can practice his French); a selection of novels and short stories from Japan, Edwardian England, Nigeria, Colombia, and the US (I try REEEEEALLY hard not to buy books by white men but I have a weakness for Franzen, and I couldn’t pass on the Saki even though I’ve owned it at least twice already!). Then “Shadrach”, to add to our collection of books illustrated by Maurice Sendak; “Inside of a Dog” which I never had any interest in until becoming a dog owner, and finally “Tribal Rugs: A buyer’s guide”, because how could I possibly pass on a Textiles-related book that might one day have crucial information for me (outdated “ethnic” language notwithstanding). #bookstagram #bookhaul
Conservation can take you to some unusual internet rabbit holes! I’m currently researching conservation techniques for collector toys, which show up more and more in the contemporary art field (my friend @greywhisky had to give me a lecture on @kaws the other day). Some of the methods used by hobbyists and collectors are a bit extreme for me as a conservator (so much peroxide!!), but I was fascinated by this website “The My Little Poney Preservation Project”. Pony Cancer and glitter rust — a whole bible dedicated to the ailments of the MLP. #conservator #mlp #mylittlepony
I’ve whisked James away for a long birthday weekend in Jiaoxi, Yilan, which is rich in hot springs. Our hotel’s bath-house (where we spent some time soaking in 55C water, on a deliciously cool rainy night) has multiple traditional rain jackets on the walls, woven from palm fibres — they are unexpectedly soft and so pretty, I wish I could have my own to wear ❤️ ☔️
Wonosobo in Kaohsiung! Great to meet @akhmad.zaed who happens to be studying for his Masters degree at Cheng Shiu University — and who is from Wonosobo! Isn’t the world small? Thanks @wepeagus for connecting us! (And thanks to Zaed and his friend Benny for helping me identify the subject and origin of an Indonesian artwork I am conserving!!) #wonosobo
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