Byssus art is an exceptional tradition keept safe by women who preserved it by transmitting this tradition to other women of their family tree. Now, Chiara Vigo, from Sardina, seems to be the last sea silk weaver alife.
Chiara always says that ” gifts from the sea cannot be traded” so her art is never bought. The silk used is a fiber provided by Pinna Nobilis, a molusc in risk of extintion, such as this artisan tradition. References to this tradition might be found at the Bible
Byssus, or sea silk, is one of the most coveted materials in the world – but after more than 1,000 years in the same matrilineal family tree, this ancient thread may soon unravel. Read this special BBC article written by Eliot Stein (6 September 2017).
In the following interview she talks about her life and how she was predited to become a master of this art.
musart research lab 