Luang Prabang women’s exhibition offers new viewing experience

Visitors to a special exhibition at the Children’s Cultural Centre in Luang Prabang city were delighted to experience a new way of viewing the exhibits by being given tablets to watch videos and texts relating to the photos on display, which showcased the handicrafts made by women in Laos.
The two-day event on March 31-April 1 aimed to portray products, both material and immaterial, inherited from women and having artistic or historical importance.
Thanks to an application developed by the Ecole Superieure d’Infotronique d’Haïti, it was possible, with a dedicated tablet, to trigger the viewing of videos, images or even texts, by directing the tablet towards a particular photograph on display.

The Ambassador of France to Laos, Mrs Siv-Leng Chhuor, views videos, pictures and texts by directing a tablet towards a photograph on display.

The photographic exhibition, using augmented reality, was used to reflect the work of female artists, who have made such a large contribution to Laos’ heritage.
To highlight this, a portrait of each woman was accompanied by an interview film and photography to get a deep understanding of her art form.
There were portraits of women artists from Luang Prabang, specialists in the art of handmade paper and silk embroidery, and also of dancers from the FangLao troupe in Vientiane.
Some of these images were linked to an application to enhance the didactic effect in an attractive and playful way by providing additional information on the artist and the production of her work.
This was a collaboration between the Ecole Supérieure d’Infotronique d’Haïti (ESIH), IRD, AUF and UNFPA.
A third-year student at the Luang Prabang College of Traditional Arts, Mr Thiem Norlasin, was one of the students interested in the display and looked intently through the tablet he was given at each of the photos.
While he was lifting the tablet to one picture, he turned to look at me as I was standing next to him. He then examined other photos, which featured handmade paper and silk embroidery, as well as a group of Fanglao dancers.
“Seeing the pictures shown this way is one of the coolest things I’ve ever done,” he said smiling at me.
It was clear that this special viewing technique enhanced people’s experience of the exhibition and brought it to life.
Another viewer, Mr Alain Menoni, told Vientiane Times that this viewing method was very interesting and he was fascinated by it.
“If we only look at pictures, there is no life, but by directing the tablet to the displayed image to view videos and texts, this helps the pictures come alive. It’s like we’re watching them posted on television or in a video,” he said.
Deputy Director of the Luang Prabang provincial Information, Culture and Tourism Department, Mr Sisavath Nhilatchay, said the exhibition was the first of its kind and had proved very popular.
“It’s a good exhibition and we’d like to do more of this sort of thing but it’s difficult for those of us who don’t have a big budget,” he said.
A woman whose family makes handmade paper items in Xangkhong village in Luang Prabang city told Vientiane Times that there are lots of people in the province making paper products from sa (the bark of the mulberry tree) for sale, but her family has been doing it for over 30 years.
All of the items they produce are sold at their Tonmanipoun sa-paper handicraft shop, with the main products being hand-bound notebooks, paper bags, lamp shades and sheets of paper. The paper bags are widely used in Luang Prabang because they are environmentally friendly.
In Luang Prabang, most of the silk embroidery is produced in the same way it has been for centuries - small scale at the village level and often for household use, using skills handed down through the generations. The traditional silk skirts (sinh) and scarves are very popular amongst locals and tourists alike.
The many handicraft shops are the destination of choice for visitors, with all manner of colourful crafts available. The shops sell scarves, tablecloths and wall hangings at reasonable prices. Women weavers usually take one to four days to finish a scarf, but this can sometimes extend to seven days depending on the intricacy of the design.
Sericulture is a traditional agro-industry occupation and remains an important activity in many towns and rural communities as a good source of income, as well as being a part of Lao culture.
Luang Prabang city has a charming old quarter, and visitors can enjoy panoramic views over the world heritage site from Mount Phousi, which is one of the town’s main attractions.
In 1358, King Fa Ngum brought the sacred Prabang statue to Meuang Viengkham and in 1489 the revered Buddha image was moved to Meuang Xiengthong for public worship. The name of the town was then changed to Meuang Luang Prabang in acknowledgement of the presence of the statue, and it has remained unchanged to this day.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update April 5, 2022)