Material World
Symposium M. Victor Leventritt
Harvard Art Museums32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA
This one-day symposium considers the historical importance, artistry, and evolution of textiles, within the context of a world where traditional notions of textiles are constantly changing. The event is organized as part of the Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Conservation Science.
Schedule of events
10:30–10:45am: Welcome and introductory remarks
Georgina Rayner, Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Conservation Science, Harvard Art Museums
10:45–11:35am: “Mentored by Textiles”
Mary Schoeser, Honorary President, The Textile Society, United Kingdom
11:35am–12:25pm: “Textiles Matter: Theory through Practice”
Dinah Eastop, Honorary Senior Lecturer, Institute of Archaeology, University College London
12:25–1:50pm: Break for lunch on one’s own
1:50–2:40pm: “My Materials: Clothing, Fabric & Belonging”
Shinique Smith, Contemporary Artist
2:40–3:30pm: “Fashion in the Museum”
Valerie Steele, Director and Chief Curator, The Museum at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology)
3:30–4:00pm: Break
4:00–4:50pm: “Textile Future: What Is a Textile?”
Matilda McQuaid, Deputy Director of Curatorial and Head of Textiles, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
4:50–5:00pm: Closing remarks
Narayan Khandekar, Director of the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies and Senior Conservation Scientist, Harvard Art Museums
The event will be held in Menschel Hall, Lower Level.
Free admission. No registration required.
Support for this symposium is provided by the M. Victor Leventritt Fund, which was established through the generosity of the wife, children, and friends of the late M. Victor Leventritt, Harvard Class of 1935. The purpose of the fund is to present outstanding scholars of the history and theory of art to the Harvard and Greater Boston communities.