United Colors of Timor-Leste
2023
Installation view where you see Oecusse Tais (Baikeno language group) and Liquisa Tais (Tokedede Language group ), where the piece of textile needed for the suit are filled with black textile. On the back you see the templates for the suit, used by the tailer to cut the right pieces uit of the different textiles, made into a modern angel.
Art Installation “UNITED COLORS OF TIMOR-LESTE| Prototype 001”, consisting of 18 strictlu women handwoven textiles (Tais Mane Traditional / Male tais (cultural Timorese taxtile) connected to Timor-Leste 14 districts and 12 language groups (from 36 existing), who (the 18 handwoven textiles) where used for the tipical man politician dresscode these days worldwide, the bussnisness suit. Hence the bussniess suit is made out of 18 diffrent pieces of textile from the districts and language groups from Timor-Leste as a representation of the country as a whole.
In this installation, the women of Timor-Leste, who weave Tais (traditional woven fabrics of Timor-Leste) are represented with their handwoven Tais in this installation. These Tais are often (single origine tais and often modern) used by politicians in a suit, at official meetings, but not necessary as a showcase of unity. In a country dominated by male politicians, perhaps more than 90% are men in leadership positions, where the rights of women, girls and children are still not guaranteed.