Intrinsic Beauty: Celebrating the Art of Textiles

Intrinsic Beauty: Celebrating the Art of Textiles sheds light on cross-cultural connections and the preeminent roles textiles have played in the life of many communities. The exhibition includes textiles rarely exhibited due to their size or fragility, such as an enormous Safavid carpet that may have decorated a Persian shrine, a woven 14th-15th century curtain fragment that once hung in the Alhambra Palace in Spain and a colorful tie-dye alpaca hair tunic (c. 800-1000) from Peru's Wari culture. There are four different pathways through the exhibition, including textiles paired with commentary from contemporary makers who share their perspectives on the quality and craftsmanship of the historical artworks and intriguing stories of cultural and artist exchange. The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum, Washington D.C., US, through June 14.