This iron alms bowl would be used by Buddhist monks in Luang Prabang, Laos to collect food offerings during the morning alms round. The elaborate cover with a shoulder strap, however, would only be used to decorate the bowl on special occasions. It was made by the contemporary embroidery artist Tiao Nithakhong Somsanith to commemorate the end of Buddhist Lent in July 2021. Chinese silk brocade is seamed with pieces of saffron cloth recycled from a monk’s robe, and intricately embroidered with floral designs in metal thread from Lyon, France.Tiao Nithakhong is a descendant of the Vang Na, or Viceroy lineage, of the kingdom of Luang Prabang, and learned the art of gold-thread embroidery from his mother and grandmother at court. He left Laos for France after the monarchy was abolished in 1975, but has since returned to Luang Prabang, where he works to preserve the traditional arts of Laos in the community.
