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New York Textile Month VIII 2023 + Talking Textiles Conference

Thu, Sep 7 - Sun, Oct 1  2023

L'SPACE Gallery - New York Consulate Region

New York Textile Month is pleased to announce its 8th edition, which will take place from September 7 - October 1, 2023. This city-wide festival celebrates textile creativity and promotes textile awareness each year.

Initiated by the forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort in 2015 in collaboration with New York’s textile community, the festival program has grown to feature more than 60 events each year and attracts over 25,000 visitors.

This year, New York Textile Month has formed a partnership with L’SPACE gallery in Chelsea 524 West 19th street, making it the official headquarters for NYTM from September 7th to October 1st, 2023. The gallery’s lower level will become the hub for a captivating exhibition and a series of events, all celebrating the world of textiles. While the gallery will host the main events, there will also be various ancillary events taking place throughout the metropolitan area of New York. Stay in the loop with the full program and locations by visiting: www.textilemonth.nyc or following NYTM on Instagram @newyorktextilemonth.

L’SPACE gallery will present Fibration from September 7th to October 14th, 2023. Curated by the NYTM Director, Ragna Froda, this exhibition brings together a group of distinguished artists, each with a unique mastery of textiles as their chosen medium. Featuring works by Liz Collins, Joy Curtis, Melissa Dedourian, Regina Durante Jestrow, Courtney Puckett, Michelle Segre, and Denize Treizman, Fibration showcases their dynamic creations, ranging from intricately designed two-dimensional pieces to engaging three-dimensional freestanding sculptures.

NYTM is a non-for-profit organization founded at a time when we are confronted by a debilitating lack of knowledge concerning fabrics and when traditional textile heritage is under threat. However, as Edelkoort explains, “We are simultaneously experiencing a marked interest in textiles, with fashion focused on fabric, interior design reviving rugs and upholstery, fiber art back on the scene and design students reaching out for the loom.” NYTM therefore promotes events and initiatives that open our eyes to New York’s dynamic textile community.

One of the important projects of NYTM is the Dorothy Waxman International Textile Design Prize, founded by Lidewij Edelkoort and Philip Fimmano in 2015 to honor students who exhibit visionary innovation and sustainable thinking. The prize is part of the pair’s ongoing Talking Textiles initiative that promotes textile education and creativity. The US $5,000 award is proudly provided by Mohawk Group, one of America’s foremost flooring companies and a leader in sustainability. This year’s 350 applicants come from over 100 international universities and 25 countries. Finalists will present their work before a jury during NYTM. The winner will be announced online at the TALKING TEXTILES Conference on October 1st.

Download the full NYTM program here (PDF).

For image and press inquiries please contact 929.260.9618 or ragna@textilemonth.nyc

For general information please contact talkingtextiles@edelkoort.com

DutchCulture USA

Talking Textiles Conference: The Knit of Togetherness

Saturday, October 1st 2023, online
9:00 AM –1:00 PM (EST)

Yarns are the threads that bind us. Spun from animal fibers, farmed from nature, innovated in labs or unraveled from waste, they are currently at the forefront of contemporary culture with the exciting return of creative knitwear and crochet — simultaneously an expression of craft, resilience and protest but also a trendy way to combat the onslaught of digital technology and intelligence. Come learn more about how yarns relate to identity, circularity, diversity, empowerment, environment and social change. Now, more than ever, we will savor their federating power and celebrate the knit of togetherness.

Curated by Philip Fimmano as part of New York Textile Month, this special online conference brings together speakers from around the globe, continuing our dedication to textile creativity and education by offering this exciting program free to all students and teaching faculty.

An international lineup of speakers features Li Edelkoort, Philip Fimmano, students from Polimoda’s Farm to Fabric to Fashion Masters, and many more. The event also includes the announcement of the 2023 Dorothy Waxman International Textile Design Prize, proudly supported by Mohawk Group. Full program coming soon!

Reserve your tickets via this link.

Program

All times are in EST

9:00 AM – The Knit of Togetherness
Philip Fimmano, co-founder, of Talking Textiles

9:05 AM – Swaddling: Autumn/Winter 2024–25
Li Edelkoort, trend forecaster

9:40 AM – Conscious Cashmere
Charlotte Björklund, founder, Linnea Lund

10:00 AM – Farm to Yarn
Polimoda Textile Masters Year 2 Students: Georgia Pfaff, Priya Deep & Sabrina Stadlobe

10:20 AM – Fair Isle Knitting
Helen Wyld, Senior Curator of Historic Textiles, Global Arts, National Museums Scotland

10:40 AM – Maxhosa Africa
Laduma Ngxokolo, fashion designer

11:00 AM – Andean Knitting
Aymar Ccopacatty, artist

11:20 AM – Speaker t.b.a.
In conversation with Cynthia Hathaway, Woolmarch

11:40 AM – Revolution & Knitting
Amy Twigger Holroyd, Professor of Fashion & Sustainability, Nottingham Trent University

12:00 PM – Mending & Knitting
Celia Pym, artist

12:20 PM – Open Source Knitting
Ruth Herring, knitwear & crochet designer

12:45 PM – Special Announcement
Dorothy Waxman International Textile Design Prize Announcement with Royce Epstein, Mohawk Group

1:00 PM – approximate end