Call for papers: annual CTANZ symposium Town and Country

First Prize – Raffia Work, Hawke’s Agricultural and Pastoral Show, 1933. Collection of the Hawke’s Bay Museums Trust: Ruawharo Ta-u-rangi 97/17/1

We are pleased to announce the 2012 annual Symposium for the Costume and Textile Association of New Zealand (CTANZ) will be held in Nelson in late 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. Dates will be confirmed as soon as possible via our website and Dress Address.

This year’s theme 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.

Equally interesting are the meeting points of Town and Country – the places and moments when the contrasts between the two locations is brought into focus.  The fable of the Town Mouse and the Country Mouse has long been used to explore this divide: the bright city lights versus the rural idyll; luxury versus simplicity; rich versus poor; inside versus outside.

The 2012 annual symposium of the Costume and Textile Association of New Zealand will explore both Town and Country, exploring the fashions and fads, colours and patterns, textile traditions and innovations of our past and present.

We invite interested presenters to submit an abstract on this theme (no more than 300 words) and short biography to lhammonds@hbmag.co.nz by Friday 23 March 2012.  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 March 30^th.

Applicants are not required to be members of the Costume and Textile Association of New Zealand (CTANZ).  Final presentations will be eligible for inclusion in Context, the CTANZ bi-annual publication.

Symposium dates, registration information and an announcement of our keynote speakers for 2012 will be available soon.