Golden cape made with silk from 1.2m spiders at MIA exhibit

Doha, Qatar: Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) is now home to the awe inspiring Golden Spider Silk exhibition, a showcase of exquisite textiles and a stun...

Doha, Qatar: Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) is now home to the awe-inspiring “Golden Spider Silk” exhibition, a showcase of exquisite textiles and a stunning creation by Simon Peers and Nicholas Godley. Beyond presenting their remarkable work which took them almost a decade, the exhibition explores the golden spider silk, divulging its extraordinary history and unique properties.

The highlight of the exhibit, housed on the 4th floor gallery of MIA, is a cape crafted from the silk of 1.2 million golden spiders. This masterpiece, took over two years to produce with over 6,000 hours of embroidery. “The imagery tells the story of how the spider creates a world - the silken web - out of itself. the idea of being enveloped in spider silk was the original inspiration for the garment of prestige that might, in an imaginary world, have been made for an Imperial or Royal court,” MIA said.

Despite its delicate nature, the cape stands as a testament to human ingenuity, with the creators emphasising the challenges posed by water, the silk’s arch-nemesis, causing it to shrink if exposed for prolonged periods.

Spider silk has long been coveted, with efforts dating back to 1709 when François-Xavier Bon first conceptualised the idea of harnessing this rare material. From then until now, enthusiasts and creators have been captivated by its allure, with modern-day innovators striving to replicate its properties synthetically.

Director of MIA, Shaika Al Nassr, highlighted the uniqueness of the exhibition, underscoring that the textiles showcased are the only ones in the world crafted from golden spider silk. She noted the years of dedication by Peers and Godley to revive this ancient technique, culminating in the creation of these stunning textiles.