AN Essex University student has curated an exhibit displaying rare items from a historical period barely shown in the UK.
Amber Butchart, a research student who specialises in dress and textile history, has curated an exhibition which looks at how textiles have been used as propaganda during times of revolt or historical uproar.
Entitled ‘The Fabric of Democracy: Propaganda Textiles from the French Revolution to Brexit’, the exhibit is being hosted at the Fashion and Textile Museum in London until March 3, 2024.
It takes an in-depth look at how fabric designers and manufacturers have responded to “political upheaval” and how different types of textile work has been used as a tool in politics and regimes.
Amber has carefully put together 150 separate items for the exhibit, including Chinese fabrics from the cultural revolution-era of1966 to1976 which have rarely been displayed in the UK.
There are also Japanese robes from the Asia-Pacific war, a 1951 handkerchief which was used for psychological warfare during the Korean War, an 18th century French Toile de Jouy furnishing fabric, and much more.
Another highlight of the display is a dress made by the British post-war fabric designer, Lucienne Day, an influential figure in the 1950s and 60s following on from the Second World War.
Amber’s exhibition is in connection with her PhD research which focuses on propaganda textiles between 1946 and 1970.
Speaking about the multifaceted nature of these materials, she said: “In the Western world, textiles have historically been classified as ‘women’s work’, occupying the private domestic sphere in opposition to public work such as painting or sculpture.
“However, many textiles show that the home can be a politicised space, and that fabrics - a historically ‘feminised’ artform - can contribute to and shape political debates.
“In fact, textiles have been used to spread political messages for centuries.”
Lovers of history will particularly enjoy this exhibition, given it spans numerous different time periods, wars, and important historical moments.
A spokesman for Essex University said: “The industrial age revolutionised the textile industry and print technologies, making it easier, faster and cheaper to create elaborate imagery on cloth.
“This ‘democratisation’ of the industry allowed governments, regimes and corporations to harness the power of textiles to communicate, from wartime slogans to revolutionary ideals.”
Tickets for the exhibition cost £12.65.
To find out more visit tinyurl.com/n9snsh55.
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