Lodz textile events Part 2
In Lodz there was more going on than the 18th International Textile Triennial that I reviewed on October 30. First of all the Central Museum of Textiles had organised some performances :
1.”Weaving Intelligence”: Launch of Agnieszka Pilat’s autonomous robot installation – curator: Marta Kowalewska;
2.“SHIRTSHOW” performance by Agata Siniarska and Ilja Subkoff / organiser: Łódź of Many Cultures Festival 2025;
3.Performance by Simone Goslinga:
4.A performance by Tales Frey and Hilda de Paulo.
I have been part of the „Shirtshow“ which was very moving, the viewers were integrated, first as passengers of a plane crash, but when we had to take the white shirts over our head, we suddenly represented the Clu Clux Clan! The way this performance forced the viewer to take part produced strong emotions, at least with me. Elin Noble, an artist friend from the USA, said, “This performance would be unthinkable in the USA right now.” That comforted me because it’s true!
Further planned by the Museum was a collateral exhibition by curator Bukola Oyebode-Westerhuis, who lives in the Netherlands, showing African art made by women:“Rhizomatic Portals: Ways of Knowing” was meant to put the focus on Africa . „It is the first time that the Central Museum of Textiles in lodz in the context of its 50 years old Triennial, will give an extensive platform to African artists and express its quest to engage closely with Africa“ was written in the catalogue. The catalogue text continues“ No matter the intentions, no single exhibitioncan truly present the breath and depth of artistic practices from the African continent“. I understood that the curator was stressing the non-linear thinking and showing a world view through African female eyes. Than it was a pity that there were only 7 artists in this part of the exhibition, not enough to get a real impression, but I understood that the curator sees the African artists not very far away from Western artists, at least the exhibition could be read as part of theTriennial.
Further events were planned by the Academy of Fine Art in Lodz:
1.Open seminar with Ibrahim Mahama, this artist held a really interesting talk at the Academic Center of Design in Lodz, among other things he said that he does not see himself as a textile artist, which is right, but nevertheless his works, covering buildings with textiles, is of special interest to textile artists! I had seen his work during the Documenta in Kassel in 2017 and was impressed.
Than there was something new, an exhibition with textile art from high schools in Poland called “Nowe Watki“. Here it became clear why polish textile art has such a high quality, I would not know of any high school in Germany or in Holland were there is textile art of this level. Unfortunately the catalogue was in Polish only.
Finally the most important exhibition at the City Art Gallery until 30.12.2025: „The 5 Young Textile Art Triennale“– a review of works by young artists who use textile as their medium. The exhibition is a competitive event and a platform of exchange where students and graduates of fine art academies and universities from different countries can share their experiences
This year’s 5th edition of YTAT shows a selection of fifty one works of textile art exhibited in the City Art Gallery in Łódź. It is an exceptional presentation of bold visions encapsulated in individual and collective artworks and, at the same time, a specific encounter of their authors in Łódź – the city where textile art has been “woven” of traditions. The competition has quickly blended into this landscape and has become a cyclical event promoting modern textile. The Institute of Textile, Printing and Interior Dec- oration of the Strzemiński Academy of Fine Arts Łódź is the host of YTAT. The Triennial was conceived in 2012 on the initiative of Dr. hab. Lidia Choczaj, Professor of the Academy, opening the door to newcomers to compete on the international stage. This year the young generation of artists is represented by sixty seven talented students and graduates.To many of them being part of the exhibition is a great opportunity to make a name for themselves and their first attempt to bring their works to the attention of a broader audience. This edition of YTAT accompanies the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Strzemiński Academy of Fine Arts Łódź, highlighting the relevance of the Academy where tradition merges with modernity and the promotion of new generations of artists and designers helps in developing international cooperation.
In my opinion this exhibition was more about textile art than the 18th ITT at the Central Museum of Textiles, which was for more than 50 per cent a fine art exhibition using textiles! But it seemed to me that, compared to 2022 YTAT, there were less monumental works and more works that felt like samples. But all in all a very interesting textile art exhibition!
However in the exhibition on the short introduction on the wall, I found a sentence that alarmed me:
“This is not a textile exhibition. It speaks with textile, with the language of weaves, textures, intimate and political gestures” Also in this exhibition the organisers deny the importance of textile art? This sounds like a tendency that in Lausanne already brought strong discussions, at the end of the 80s: textile art should be about important social-political themes, not just about textiles! The result was that Lausanne became a normal fine art event and with Venice as a direct neighbour, there was no need for such an event. Are we, the textile artists/ writers and curators, giving up newly gained importance (since 2014) and recognition of textile art? Just now when real textile artists like Olga de Amaral, Sheila Hicks and others are finally considered fine artists but using a craft medium. Why should there be textile art education anyway when textile is so unimportant ?
If the art message is the sole focus we could get along with fine art education only. The artists would not have to know any craft or techniques, they could have their work solely executed by technicians/ craftsmen to translate the message in any material like textile or other!
