THE WORLD OF INDONESIAN TEXTILES by...

THE WORLD OF INDONESIAN TEXTILES by Wanda Warming and Michael Gaworski (Kodansha: $35). For centuries, the thousands of islands that make up Indonesia have served as a cultural melting pot. Chinese, Hindu, Moslem, Buddhist and, more recently, European influences have blended with native animist beliefs to produce a vital, eclectic culture that is reflected in the patterns of their often striking textiles. Warming and Gaworski roamed some of the less-developed areas of the country, studying the native crafts of weaving and dying. They present clearly illustrated explanations of a variety of techniques, including tie-dying, weft-dying and batik. The results are as exotic as they are lovely.