Sourcing the Museum

The word “museum” derives from the ancient Greek mouseion—"temple of the Muses"—home of goddesses believed to inspire creativity. The Textile Museum’s permanent collections provided the source of creative inspiration for eleven contemporary artists.

Invited to participate by renowned textile designer Jack Lenor Larsen, the artists explored the Museum’s historically and culturally varied collections, and the exhibition will display the twelve new artworks the artists created, alongside the fabrics… Show more that inspired them. The historical textiles highlight the wide scope of the Museum’s collections, ranging from rare Pre-Columbian and Late Roman weavings to Japanese kimono and Central Asian ikats.

Diverse in background, preferred technique, and aesthetic, but all at the height of their careers, the invited artists include Olga de Amaral, James Bassler, Polly Barton, Archie Brennan, Lia Cook, Helena Hernmarck, Ayako Nikamoto, Jon Eric Riis, Warren Seelig, Kay Sekimachi, and Ethel Stein.

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