Runjung | Sonam Yeshi Cotton Summer Scarf
Runjung is located in the western-most part of Tibet, bordering on the Kinnaur Himalayan region of Himachal Pradesh in India. Accessible by the Shipki La mountain pass which stands at an altitude of 4,720 meters, it stands on an ancient trade route that linked the Tibetan Platue to the lower regions of the Himalayas and beyond, bringing these regions closer together with influence in dress, language and customs traveling freely. This explains how similar styles of jewelry and headdresses can be found in the mountain regions of Himachal Pradesh and in hidden valleys of what is now Pakistan. Runjung women wear elaborate headdresses and strands of coral, turquoise and amber beads that frame their foreheads and cascade over the sides of their faces.
Carefully designed by contemporary artist Sonam Yeshi.
Material: Digital print on mul mul cotton
Color: Black base
Size: 42 x 78 inches
“I was raised in a Tibetan community in the India Himalayan foothills, surrounded by Tibetan traditional craftsmen. These included monks who lived in my house and made carefully researched Tibetan costumed dolls. Their workshop was my playroom, and I began painting and drawing at an early age. At 19, I left for New York, where I studied fashion design at Parsons. I was most drawn to working with color and prints, and later realized how much my surroundings, both in terms of culture and environment, influenced my work. On my return to India in 2007, I devoted all my time to art and design, creating paintings on my own time, and working on interiors and products for the Norbulingka Institute in Dharamsala, India.”
