Exhibitions
Over the years, textile conservators have contributed to a number of exhibitions with the rich content resulting from analytical research with state-of-the-art technology.
Explore some of these exhibitions below.
Portable Storage: Tribal Weavings from the Collection of William and Inger Ginsberg
The Met Fifth Avenue, September 25, 2017—May 7, 2018
Woven bags carried by nomads in the Middle East were designed to contain all of the necessities of life, from bedding to salt. This exhibition highlights 19 distinctly patterned examples of woven bags from nomadic cultures in Iran, Turkey, and the Caucasus, along with one striking pile-woven saddle cover.
Carpets for Kings: Six Masterpieces of Iranian Weaving
The Met Fifth Avenue, March 3—August 27, 2017
This exhibition features six small Iranian carpets of the 16th and 17th centuries that have recently been conserved by the Department of Textile Conservation. The carpets include two lively 16th-century animal combat examples, a prayer rug of the distinctive “Salting” type, and three 17th-century carpets from the period of Shah ’Abbas the Great (1587–1629) made from silk and precious metal thread.
The Secret Life of Textiles: Animal Fibers
The Met Fifth Avenue, August 15, 2016—February 20, 2017
The second in the Secret Life of Textiles exhibition series, this installation features works of art made from the most important animal fibers—wool, hair, silk, and feathers—by numerous cultures throughout history and in different regions of the world.
The Secret Life of Textiles: Plant Fibers
The Met Fifth Avenue, March 7—July 31, 2016
This first installation in the series reveals the technological transformation and beauty of the most important plant fibers—linen, hemp, ramie, and cotton—used by various cultures around the world in North Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, from the Dynastic period of Egypt to the present day.
Scenes from the Life of St. Martin: Franco-Flemish Embroidery from the Met Collection
The Met Fifth Avenue, May 11—October 25, 2015
This installation features a series of rare fifteenth-century embroideries illustrating scenes from the life of Saint Martin (316–397), on display for the first time. These splendid examples of Franco-Flemish embroidery—in which detailed pictorial designs and luminous palettes were created by colored silk and metallic threads—highlight the sophistication of this highly prized medium.
Examining Opulence:
A Set of Renaissance Tapestry Cushions
The Met Fifth Avenue, August 4, 2014—January 18, 2015
Art and science meet as Examining Opulence unveils the roles of museum curators and conservators in the investigation, conservation, and decoding of art objects. The installation provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the fascinating and indispensable work necessary to prepare objects for display by exploring the different questions curators and conservators pose when presented with six luxurious, late Renaissance tapestry-woven cushion covers.
Making the Invisible Visible:
Conservation and Islamic Art
The Met Fifth Avenue, April 2—August 4, 2013
Conservators and conservation scientists made many exciting and interesting discoveries as they and the curators re-examined the Museum’s collection of Islamic art prior to the reopening of the new galleries for the art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Later South Asia in November 2011. This exhibition and the accompanying lectures and gallery talks present some of their most interesting discoveries.