Home Front
13th Annual Symposium of the Costume & Textile Association of New Zealand
May 2014
Call for Papers
We are pleased to announce that in 2014, the Centennial year of the start of World War One, the annual CTANZ Symposium will be again hosted by the Institute of the Auckland War Memorial Museum. The dates fall on Friday 30th and Saturday 31st May of Queen’s Birthday weekend 2014.
‘The Home Front’ came into use during World War One as an informal term for the civilian population of a nation at war serving as an active support system for their armed forces. Although this term generally refers to the supply and production of war equipment, it also encompasses the provision of warm clothing and food parcels sent by women to their men folk at the front, and the efforts of a local population depleted by man power to keep the nation supplied with essential goods and food stuffs.
During war time and other crises, an attitude of ‘Making Do’ prevailed to counter shortages of every-day essentials, relying on practices of making, mending, thriftiness, re-use and recycling in the domestic realm, often with great attention given to individual style and design.
In the spirit of making in relation to the home sphere, we invite you to consider the theme ‘Home Front’ in the broadest possible sense: fundraising pageants; coupon chic; wartime interior décor; mending and recycling; siren suits; demob. attire; therapy crafts; hostess gowns – whatever you think fits the bill.
Papers are 20 minutes long and are preferably illustrated. Interested presenters are invited to submit an abstract (no more than 300 words) and short biography to Angela Lassig at symposium@costumeandtextile.nz by 15 March 2014. Word documents are preferred and please ensure that the document, not just the email, includes your name, paper title and contact email address. Successful applicants will be notified by 31 March 2014.
Successful applicants are not required to be current members of CTANZ, but will need to register for the symposium. Final presentations will be eligible for inclusion in Context, the CTANZ bi-annual publication.