He Yongdi: Tubu Mini Pouch

In collaboration with fabric collector He Yongdi, CHAT presents a series of limited edition mini pouches made from hand-woven silkscreen printed fabrics from Chongming Island, China. Widely popular between the 1960s and 80s, these fabrics carry historical significance. The local women would weave their own white fabric and have custom-made patterns printed by silkscreen artisans. Common patterns included motifs from agriculture, infrastructure, theatre, sports, diplomacy and more, intermixing ornaments of longstanding tradition with images trending at the time, such as the red double happiness symbol and the swastika. From these printed fabrics, we can also see how craftspeople creatively sought change within limited social narratives.