Textiles have not only fueled the creative inspiration of artists throughout history, but they have also provided the catalyst for technological innovation. Joseph Marie Jacquard, a French merchant, invented the “jacquard machine” in 1801, which simplified the manufacture of textiles and later became the inspiration for IBM's first computer introduced in the 1940s and 1950s. This exhibition investigates the many unexplored relationships between craft and technology while demonstrating how contemporary art practice has seamlessly embraced both.
Join us on January 21 as Christine Duval, Curator of Cut From the Same Cloth: Textile & Technology, discusses the exhibition’s concept and highlights several featured artists, exploring how their practices— whether rooted in weaving or in digital innovation—intersect in unexpected ways. Some of the artists are technologists, others are weavers, yet their approaches are far more connected than most realize. Textiles and computing are rarely seen as related fields, but this exhibition reveals their deep historical connection and how artists navigate fluidly between both worlds.
Textile Talks features weekly presentations and panel discussions from the International Quilt Museum, Quilt Alliance, Studio Art Quilt Associates, and Surface Design Association. The programs are held online at 2 p.m. Eastern (11 a.m. Pacific) each Wednesday.
Interested in supporting Textile Talks?
Please donate to help defray costs for the participating organizations.
