Dressing with Purpose: Belonging and Resistance in Scandinavia

Museum of International Folk Art Santa Fe, New Mexico

By the 20th century, many in Sweden worried about the ravages of industrialization, urbanization, and emigration on traditional ways of life; Norway was gripped in a struggle for national independence; and the indigenous Sámi communities rose up in protests that demanded political recognition and sparked cultural renewal. “Dressing with Purpose” examines three of the Scandinavian […]

Weaving Stories

Asian Art Museum San Francisco, CA

Weaving Stories brings together about forty-five outstanding examples of textiles from dozens of communities in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia, most dating to the 19th and 20th centuries. Learn how fabrics were woven into the daily lives of the peoples of Southeast Asia, telling stories of identity, faith, status, and women as artistic innovators. Archival […]

Ancient Andean Textiles

Cleveland Museum of Art Cleveland, OH

Drawing from the textiles of the permanent collection, this rotation represents several different civilizations that flourished in the ancient Andes (today Peru) and parts of adjacent countries. Though unrelated by cultural affiliation, they are unified by being special in some way, whether through rarity, complexity of execution, or luxuriousness of materials. The centerpiece of the […]

Life Cycles: A Bamboo Exploration with Tanabe Chikuunsai IV

Japan House Hollywood & Highland 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, Level 2 & Level 5, Los Angeles, CA

Fourth-generation bamboo artist Tanabe Chikuunsai IV dramatically pushes the boundaries of this artform. While continuing his family’s tradition of weaving bamboo flower baskets and smaller sculptural works, he is also renowned for using bamboo as a material for large-scale contemporary artworks and installations at museums and other venues around the world. This exhibition examines the […]

New York Textile Month (NYTM). September 2022.

The 7th edition of NYTM is a month-long, citywide festival initiated by Lidewij Edelkoort to celebrate textile creativity and promote textile awareness in New York and beyond. This year’s offerings include in-person and virtual events including exhibitions, workshops, talks and panels, and open studios. https://www.textilemonth.nyc/calendar-2022-nytm  

Threads of Power: Lace from the Textilmuseum St. Gallen

Featuring more than 150 examples of lace from the renowned collection of Switzerland’s Textilmuseum St. Gallen, this exhibit traces the development of European lace from its sixteenth-century origins to the present day. Learn about the women who crafted this sought-after status symbol by hand, and about the evolution of Swiss chemical lace made on embroidery […]

Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories

Skirball Cultural Center Los Angeles, California

Discover the extraordinary human stories behind five centuries of quilts. Featuring works by more than forty artists, including Harriet Powers, Bisa Butler, and Sanford Biggers, this exhibition illuminates the unique capacity quilts have to tell stories and convey a sense of humanity. It celebrates the artistry and vision of a diverse and largely under-recognized group of creators. ¶Originally organized […]

The Global Language of Headwear: Cultural Identity, Rites of Passage & Spirituality

Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum Wausau, Wisconsin

From headdresses and helmets to turbans and crowns, explore the vital role of ceremonial headwear throughout diverse cultural customs, beliefs, and rituals. This exhibition features headwear from forty-three countries spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America, most dating from the mid to late 20th century, with many types still worn […]