Included in the exhibition are 21 varied textiles from the Americas, Africa, Asia and the Middle East that delve into the significance of this bold color. The earliest object is more than 2,500 years old while the most recent is less than five. Complementing the textiles is a series of photographs depicting the use of red textiles in contemporary life, including an official portrait of Nancy Reagan standing in the Red Room of the White House.
From the pre-Columbian high Andes to the 21st-century streets of New York, red textiles are a potent symbol, used to denote status, power, love, death and much more. In ancient Peru, red was reserved for important religious textiles while in 16th-century Persia, red was used to pattern textiles with verses of love poems. Before the invention of synthetic dyes, achieving this evocative color was no easy task. Large quantities of dye material were needed to color a single piece of fabric, making red cloth expensive or impossible to produce. Such difficulties heightened the importance and allure of the color and it became a prestige commodity restricted by cost to the elite.
The textiles on view are drawn from The Textile Museum's collections of more than 17,000 rugs and textiles as well as other holdings. Contemporary objects in the exhibition include the tapestry-woven TOMMY USA, on loan from artist Thomas Cronenberg. Part of his "Identity Series,"Â TOMMY USA is a self-portrait of the artist that explores his identity as he moves from America to his ancestral homeland,
Germany.
In reflecting on his choice of color Cronenberg said, "The color red is central to this work for its visual and emotional impact."Â The exhibition also includes a Halston ballgown from the 1970s and an AIDS lapel ribbon on loan from the Whitman-Walker Clinic. Together these contemporaryobjects demonstrate the continuing importance of red in the 21st century.
Historical objects in the exhibition include a Peruvian border fragment that dates to between 300 BCE - 500 CE as well as a Coptic tapestry fragment from 6th-century Egypt depicting a leopard in motion. Shown together are two shawls from 20th-century Tunisia that illustrate the tradition of dyeing red patterns into white cloth after a woman has been married. A 19th-century Navajo rug and a Chinese wedding collar provide contrasts in both the application and significance of red in textiles.
The exhibition is curated by Rebecca A. T. Stevens, The Textile Museum's Consulting Curator for Contemporary Textiles. Working in consultation with the Museum's entire curatorial staff, Steves chose each object to represent a unique perspective on the use and significance of this bold color.
Bring the whole family to explore the exhibition RED, featuring 21 red textiles spanning the globe and
millennia. Held the first Saturday of every month from 2 - 4 pm, this free drop-in program includes
scavenger hunts, hands-on projects, visits from local artists and performances that vary each session. In
this installment, celebrate the art of textiles and storytelling! Join us for a journey through RED with
storyteller Judith Gravitz. Listen as she weaves a colorful tale inspired by the exhibition, then create
your own textile storybook. FREE; no reservations required.
"To give birth to a boy is considered a big happiness. To give birth to a girl is a small happiness. Well,
you can say it's no happiness,"Â says a grandfather from Long Bow Village in the film Small Happiness.
Planned in conjunction with the exhibition RED, the film explores sexual politics in rural China with
segments on love and marriage, foot-binding, childbearing and birth control. A discussion will follow the
film screening. Small Happiness is produced by the LongBow Group and directed by Carma Hitton and
Richard Gordon, 1984. Co-sponsored by the Environmental Film Festival.
Planned in conjunction with RED and Architectural Textiles: Tent Bands of Central Asia, this program
includes exhibition tours, gallery activities and demonstrations of pre- and post-visit activities.
Participants explore dyeing and weaving techniques, receive a teacher packet with information on the
textile-producing cultures represented in the exhibitions and enjoy refreshments.
FREE; reservations required.
Visitors of all ages are invited to explore the textile arts and cultures of the world through a multitude
of activities and demonstrations in the Museum's exhibitions, historic buildings and gardens. Inspired by
the exhibition RED, a special display of artwork by students from District of Columbia Public Schools
will open during the weekend event. Presented in connection with the Dupont-Kalorama Museums
Consortium's Museum Walk Weekend. FREE; no reservations required.
By www.textilemuseum.org
Posted December 30th, 2006 by ruzik_tuzik
