Vancouver to unveil new exhibition on textiles

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Oct 17, 2016

The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at UBC in Vancouver will unveil Western Canada’s largest textile collection in a new exhibition titled Layers of Influence: Unfolding Cloth Across Cultures.
 
The exhibition will showcase more than 130 handmade and coveted textiles from around the globe, ranging from the hand-dyed batiks of Bali, appliqued button blankets from BC’s Northwest Coast, jaspe weavings of the Mayan people of Guatemala, elaborate ikat creations from India and Indonesia, and more.
 

The collection will display many of the world’s most iconic ensembles, indicative of unique rites of passage, cultural celebrations, spiritual ceremonies, as well as everyday functional uses. A global range of materials, production techniques and adornments utilized across different cultures and time frames will also be highlighted.
 
The textiles will be grouped by geographical area and arranged to allow visitors to examine the cultural, spiritual and religious significance of the garments.

“From birth to death, people are wrapped in cloth. We wear clothing for warmth or protection from the sun, but also as an expression of political power, social prestige, pride in identity, and spiritual protection,” says Dr. Jennifer Kramer, MOA Curator, in a news statement. “This stunning exhibition is a celebration of humanity’s multifaceted and complex history with cloth, as both a creative tool and physical manifestation of a culture’s values, ideals, and overall identity. An immersive, sensory experience, the collection’s colourful abundance, exquisite embroidery, and luxurious materials will leave visitors with a deeper understanding of clothing’s role in self expression and in awe of human creativity.”
 
The exhibition will be on display November 17, 2016 to April 9, 2017. The Museum of Anthropology is located at the University of British Columbia.