The Textile Museum, Revisited

I am having an internal mini-debate. It's about tradition versus innovation. Let me tell you how it started.

Earlier this month I went to a workshop about nihon shishu, the art of traditional Japanese silk embroidery. The samplers on display were beautifully stitched. The colors were striking, the patterns graceful. (Check out the Japanese Embroidery Center for an Art Gallery of nihon shishu.) I admired the virtuosity of the stitches and the time and care devoted to each one. I also responded to how meditative the handwork itself can be.

It's quite impressive that this form of embroidery has survived for more than 1,000 years, its rich history preserved. However, I was put off by the lack of innovation or improvisation allowed. Stitchers can use only set colors. New designs are discouraged until embroiderers reach a certain master level after years of apprenticeship (and thousands of dollars in kits). The appeal of learning a new technique for me is being able to use it in the context of my own work and not to copy set patterns.

Then I took a Friday Field Trip to The Textile Museum. It snapped me right out of my funk. The textile art on display (with descriptions that tell the cultural context of each item) made me realize that tradition and innovation are not opposing principles. Artisans are continually using traditional techniques and tweaking them. They collaborate with artists from other traditions. They experiment with newly available dyes. They borrow outrageously from other cultures. Click through The Textile Museum's online Textile of the Month Archives to find any number of examples. (And lots of inspiration for developing your own designs.)

The Textile Museum began with the founder's love for Oriental rugs. It could have remained a very traditional museum with a small audience of patrons. Instead it has broadened its collections and exhibits to reflect the dynamic changes in textiles. One recent exhibit showcased the wearable textiles of Japanese fashion designers. Another splashed bold Modernist fabrics by three prominent postwar British designers on the museum walls. (Check out the Flickr photos of the exhibit's mod opening.) Next month's featured exhibit explores the traditional weaving and dyeing technique from Central Asia known as ikat that fashion designers have incorporated into modern designs. In the winter and spring, ecoconscious design will be featured in two exhibits: recycled textiles and green textiles.

The setting for the Museum can be a little intimidating (at least it was for me). The collections are housed in two side-by-side townhouses next to Embassy Row in one of D.C.'s priciest neighborhoods. But crossing that invisible social divide was well worth it.

Although the Museum itself has more than 18,000 pieces of textile art, only a few pieces are shown at any one time in two main exhibit rooms. Unlike in larger museums in which there are too many pieces to even skim, the limited exhibit space at The Textile Museum gave me time to focus on the details of each piece. I learned how fiber becomes structure in a hands-on room that would be great for my kids. And I explored the museum shop, which Apartment Therapy has rated one of the top ten in the U.S.

If you decide on a field trip to The Textile Museum, I recommend a side visit to Looped Yarn Works and lunch at Teaism. Defintely a day out that would give you a healthy dose of tradition, innovation, and fun.