Designing Traditions Biennial V
Introduction
Designing Traditions highlights textile designs produced by RISD students in response to Asian textiles and clothing from the Museum’s collection. This project springs from a desire to highlight the vision and contributions of collectors involved in the Museum’s early development, and to bring their donations into the sight of RISD students today.
Some of the first gifts to the RISD Museum were Asian textiles. These objects, regarded from the outset as a design resource for RISD students, were first made accessible in 1907 in a textile study room created by Mrs. Eliza Radeke (president of RISD, 1913-1918; president of the Board of Trustees, 1918-1931). Stimulated by gifts from Mrs. Radeke, and by Lucy Truman Aldrich’s 1935 gift and 1955 bequest totaling more than 700 objects, the Asian costume and textile collection has grown steadily, and currently provides a wealth of material for exhibition and teaching purposes.
Innovative textile designs by the newest generation of RISD designers offer testimony to the creativity sparked by even the smallest details of traditional craftsmanship, and speak to a long tradition of fruitful exchanges between the Museum and the School.
These label texts were written by the student artists.
Kate Irvin, Laurie Brewer
Exhibition images
