The Chinese Periodic Balouch, 1926
Textile Intervention
114×82 inches
2013
David Alesworth moved to Pakistan in 1987 and since then has been creating art that draws from Lahore’s surrounding environment. His avid interest in gardening, urban bazaars and nation’s craft heritage have resulted in unique works that often address the country’s socio-politics, urban planning and militarization.
The Chinese Periodic Balouch, 1926 takes the current Chinese (con)-quest of Baluchistan for raw materials as its premise. A typical antique Balouch kilim is intervened upon with multi-coloured sheep’s-wool embroidery based upon an early, handwritten rendition of the Periodic Table, in Chinese. This table is probably from the mid-1920’s and a number of the more exotic contemporary elements are missing from it. The colour groupings and title are taken from a contemporary Chinese Periodic Table of the Elements.
David Alesworth is an associate professor at the School of Visual Arts and Design of Beaconhouse National University in Lahore, Pakistan.
Image Courtesy David Alesworth