Marina Soria - From Textile to Text - And Back Again - June 6, 13, 20, 27, 2026

What if Andean textiles were read as texts—narratives as rich as illuminated manuscripts? 

In the Andes, weaving was more than decoration: it was a system of knowledge and communication, encoding worldviews long before alphabetic writing. And this was not unique to America—across the world, textiles have carried meaning beyond ornament.

If we begin with letters, we arrive at alphabets. But in ancient times there were other forms of communication—languages whose codes remain mysterious, waiting to be unlocked through archaeology and other sciences. 

The history of writing is often told through alphabets and materials like papyrus, parchment, and paper. But what if the code was not alphabetic, but woven? The traces of past civilizations remind us that language has never been limited to the written word. Textiles functioned as a system of communication—an alternative script.

This workshop invites participants to explore that idea by transforming ancient textile motifs, patterns, and colors into new alphabets that blend history with invention. Drawing on calligraphy, we will study examples from ancient cultures and use them as inspiration to invent scripts. As creators, we will enjoy complete freedom—drawing on the vast repertoire of forms and symbols from the history of writing, while infusing them with a character that bridges past and future.

Let us venture into this world of possibilities—not only to glimpse how the past encoded meaning, but to imagine an alternative future language: one rooted in calligraphy, yet inspired by woven codes.

From Textile to Text - And Back Again
Marina Soria, Hosted By The Gentle Penman

Live (Also recorded for later viewing)

6,13,20 & 27 June 2026
07:00 am – 09:00 am (Hong Kong Time)

Class Cost : HKD 1,170.00 or USD 150.00
Registration Link : https://www.thegentlepenman.com/from-textile-to-text-and-back-again

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