Friday 20th and Saturday 21st July 2012
Suter Art Gallery in Nelson
We are pleased to announce the 2012 annual Symposium for the Costume and Textile Association of New Zealand (CTANZ) will be held in Nelson on the 20th and 21st of July. Hosted in conjunction with the Suter Art Gallery, Nelson, this event promises to deliver two days of entertaining speakers united by their enthusiasm for all things fabric and frocks.
The theme this year explores the opposing forces of Town and Country. From the colours and patterns of nature through to the fashions of the high street, Town and Country have provided a backdrop to a world of textile and costume. In a country such as New Zealand, where are our lives are so responsive to these locations, our textile traditions reflect their importance.
This year we are delighted to be hosting three speakers whose expertise will bring a truly international flavour to the annual symposium.
From Auckland we are welcoming Mary Kisler, Auckland Art Gallery’s Senior Curator (Mackelvie Collection, International Art). Mary will be bringing her knowledgeable eye to our theme of Town and Country. Her infectious enthusiasm for art history and her ability to decode the stories embedded within artworks is guaranteed to make for a highly entertaining keynote address.
From Australia and America, we are pleased to introduce Ann-Maree Reaney and Jill Kinnear, who will be presenting their collaborative textile/art project American Road Trip. Ann-Maree is a practicing visual artist based in Brisbane, where she has had a considerable career both as an artist and an educator. Jill is a textile designer and artist currently based in Savannah, Georgia, where she holds the position of Professor of Fibers at Savannah College of Art and Design. In American Road Trip, the pair have created a collaborative series of printed textile forms that are wearable, as well as contextual photographs and videos, which capture the essence of travel. Using textile, structure and digital pattern, these collaborative works reflect an abiding interest in other cultures, experiences and the unique perspective of a journey.