Golden Orb Spider Silk
Spun from the silk of millions of golden orb spiders found in Madagascar, the 11-foot long tapestry currently on view at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC represents a uniquely remarkable example of a rigorous, formerly obsolete weaving technique and the stubborn vision of a couple of enterprising men.
The project—orchestrated by British textile expert Simon Peers and American fashion designer Nicholas Godley—spanned four years, involving 70 dedicated collectors who retrieved the female spiders from telephone wires around the capital city of Antananarivo during the rainy season.
The undertaking involved first twisting together 96 to 960 individual spider silk filaments to make each thread and then weaving them together on a loom, a painstakingly laborious process resulting in a "stronger than steel" fabric.
via Fast Company
Spider Silk
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York City, NY 10024 map
tel. +1 212 769 5100
