August 19th, 2008 at 5:00 am
(Jobs, Uncategorized)
Duke University’s Women’s Studies program has two residential postdoctoral fellowships for the 2009-10 academic year opening. They are looking for:
…scholars engaged research on visual culture and racial and gendered formation. We are particularly interested in transnational, historical, and interdisciplinary projects that take an innovative approach to understanding the social, political, cultural and historical implications of visual culture, popular media, film and digital technologies. We welcome empirical, textual, and theoretical projects on a variety of visual media, and from a diverse array of academic fields, political and cultural contexts, and historical periods. The aim of the 2009-10 Women’s Studies Postdoctoral Program is to provide a space for generative intellectual conversations between visiting scholars and Duke faculty in different disciplines. At the center of these conversations will be a common interest in visual culture and racial and gendered formation. Successful proposals will therefore be interdisciplinary in nature and demonstrate the applicant’s knowledge of gender studies and critical race studies, as well as an expertise in visual culture as it pertains to their research project.
Applicants should be no more than five years past the PhD, and should have the PhD in hand by May 2009. Applications (including all letters of recommendations) must be received by November 17, 2008.
Send C.V., 5-page project proposal, writing sample (25 pages), 1-page course proposal (undergraduate), and 3 letters of recommendation to:
Ranjana Khanna, Director
Women’s Studies, Box 90760
210 East Duke Building, Durham NC, 27708
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August 18th, 2008 at 5:00 am
(Conferences and Calls for Papers, Uncategorized)
Call for Posters - AATCC 2009 International Conference
March 10-12, 2009
Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort in Myrtle Beach, S.C. USA
The American Association of Textile Chemists & Colorists (AATCC) is soliciting papers and posters for its 2009 International Conference. The conference will feature educational tracks for its Concept 2 Consumer®, Materials, and Chemical Applications Interest Groups. Papers are being solicited in the following categories:
* Advances in Dyeing
* Biotechnology and Textiles
* CAD/CAM and Design Technologies
* Coatings and Laminates
* Color Science, Trends, Communication and Management
* Consumer Issues/Product Quality
* Digital Asset Management
* Digital Textile Printing
* Design to Production Workflows
* Dyeing/Finishing Troubleshooting
* Environmental/Safety Issues
* Fiber-Reinforced Composites
* Flammability
* Image and Data Management
* Improving ROI on Technology, Personnel & Expenditures
* Industrial Textiles
* Mass Customization
* Medical/Biomedical Textiles
* Nanofibers and their Spinning
* Nanomaterials
* Nanotechnologies
* New and Novel Materials
* New Technologies
* Nonconventional Cellulosic/Protein Fibers
* Novel Dye/Pigment Chemical Syntheses
* Novel Fibers/Chemical Materials
* Performance Finishes
* Printing Innovations
* Product Life Management
* Protective Textiles
* Smart Textiles
* Sourcing
* Sports Materials
* Supply Chain Management
* Synthetic Fiber Spinning Innovations
* Technical/Garment Design Issues
* Textile Care Developments
* Textile Design Technology
* Textile Testing
* Virtual Fit and Body Scanning
* Visual Store Merchandising
* Yarn and Fabric Preparation
Authors can download the abstract submission form and presentation details from the AATCC website. Abstracts for posters must be received by September 5, 2008. Entries are also being sought for the 2009 Herman and Myrtle Goldstein Student Paper Competition, which will be held during this conference. and the official entry form can be downloaded from the AATCC website.
Click here for more details.
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August 15th, 2008 at 11:00 am
(Uncategorized)
Well normally on Fridays I have been getting together a “newsflash” piece about interesting dress and culture things that were floating around the web that week. “Newsflash” is part of the new Worn Through schedule you might have noticed that I’ve been playing around with the past few weeks.
Mondays-Calls for Submissions and Conference Announcements
Tuesdays-Jobs/Internships
Wednesdays-Heather’s History Commentaries
Thursdays-Exhibits
Fridays-Newsflash
And then throughout the week anything else we feel like dropping in.
But, this week I did not have time to get a “Newsflash” together as I have been taking my preliminary written exams. Wow. What a relief two days are done although I have one more to go on Monday.
Basically, the exams are 9a-5p, closed book/note, on a computer and with pen and paper handy, and you have to answer two of three essay questions. The questions follow a general format for the days of theory day 1, then evaluation and analysis (method) day 2, and then concentration (your specialization) day 3, and so they are general questions which have been tweaked to personally suit you and your studies.
If you’ve ever taken them and passed-congrats to you!-as I now know what an arduous task that was.
Plus, after it’s all done on Monday, I then have to wait 4 weeks for the results to find out if I passed. That proces is based on my dissertation committee each reading my responses, grading them, and conferring to decide if basically I know enough to be allowed to move forward in the program.
Overall, I think I’m doing ok so far but who knows really. I will say I studied a tremendous amount, and taking it over the summer was a valuable asset as it provided me the time to treat studying like its own course. I have two classmates and friends who are also taking it around this time, and we have been meeting weekly to go through our notes class by class for the entire summer. Luckily we’ve taken many of the same courses, and the differing ones are fairly complementary. So, every week we’ve “assigned” ourselves a course to summarize for the group, and we discuss what we’ve all come up with. While telling you the specifics of my questions and answers doesn’t help anyone, if any if you readers want to see our course note summaries I’d be happy to share them as they were invaluable for the studying. We’d go over authors, theories, concepts, examples, in each set of notes. We then capped the summer by going through outlines for potential answers to sample questions in an effort to synthesize the material. The final thing I did to study was to re-read all of my own term papers and projects over and over as there was no point in reinvneting the wheel on what sources I like and am familiar with and what concepts are already drilled into my brain. Plus, papers always do a decent job of integrating material from a few different courses as there is a bit of a building block idea in there.
So……I’ll spend this last weekend studying some more, and then I actually have about 1-2 weeks of so-called “free” summer with which I’ve got a million school/academic things to do but I’m determined to rock out a bit. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings will be playing the Minnesota State Fair (for free-cool!), and there are a few gallery events and pre-RNC conference activities around town that sound interesting.
I’ll try to get a “Newsflash” up this weekend, but hang in there with me as my brain is a little fried. Wish me luck!–Monica
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August 14th, 2008 at 5:00 am
(Exhibitions, Uncategorized)
VESTED INTEREST
Through September 6 at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, WI. This exhibit comprises the works of 17 contemporary artists who use dress to investigate issues of significant personal importance. Historical examples of adornment convey messages that offer an expanded context for understanding the social dimension of dress. Several contemporary artists play on the idea that adornment can reveal personal opinions in a very public way. Click here for details
READY TO TEAR: FASHIONS FROM THE 1960s
Through September 7 at Peterborough Centennial Museum and Archives in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. This display features a collection of paper dresses that were a fad in the 1960s, as well as other artifacts. The question of throwaway fashion was in stark contrast to the recycling movement that also started around the same time. While some parts of the display reflect what was going on in the world at the time, there is also a timeline pinpointing local events. Click here for details
VALENTINO: THEMES AND VARIATIONS
Through September 21 at the Louvre in Paris, France. This Arts Decoratifs retrospective exhibit will retrace the career of this famed Italian designer since 1959, with 200 of his most celebrated works. Click here for details
Some of this material was gathered from the Costume Society of America which I am a member of. Thanx to them for getting exhibit info together on a regular basis!
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August 13th, 2008 at 5:00 am
(Book Reviews, Exhibitions, History of Dress)
- Frida Kahlo, in a Tehuna costume, with her pet hawk, 1939.
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art currently has an exhibit of Frida Kahlo’s work (on view through September), which consists primarily of self-portraits creating a sort of narrative of her emotional life (as that was often the focus of her art).
- Kahlo with her self-portrait, ‘Me Twice’ in 1939
The exhibit also explored how (what amounted to Surrealism) appeared in her work. A small section of the exhibit examined her connection to San Francisco, along with Diego Rivera in the 1930s and 1940s.
Having seen this exhibit, I was especially thrilled to learn that there is now a book on the (relatively) newly discovered trove of her clothing (Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress: The Fashion of Frida Kahlo).
- Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress: The Fashion of Frida Kahlo by Carlos Phillips Olmedo, et al. Publication Date: June 18, 2008
The clothing was found in a trunk in an unused bathroom in 2004, with an exhibition following in 2006. According to the press coverage (from AP), “A trunk recently discovered in the floor of an unused bathroom at the [Blue House Museum] revealed hundreds of Kahlo’s colorful skirts and blouses, many still infused with the late artist’s perfume and cigarette smoke.”
The book not only includes a discussion of the ethnic dress that inspired her choices but also provides details on the restoration process. Here are a few of the interior images from Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress: The Fashion of Frida Kahlo
Amazon has a lovely ‘look inside the book‘ option for this book, allowing you to read front and back flaps, the table of contents, as well as an excerpts from several chapters (with some photography). It seems to me that this is an incredibly useful resource for fashion historians, academics and the art community in general.
Until next time,
Heather
www.fashionhistorian.net
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August 12th, 2008 at 9:00 am
(Jobs, Uncategorized)
Fabrics by Ambatalia
According to Craft Magazine’s blog, Ambatalia Fabrics / The Fabric Society is looking for interns in their Mill Valley shop (in San Francisco)
RESIDENCY PROGRAM
The goal of our residency program is to bridge relationships between fashion, textile, and art and act as a forum for designers to think-tank their creations through an ecological perspective. The residency program allows a team of artists/designers to take over the space for a small period of time, create a collection of products for the store using our fabrics, host a series of workshops, and showcase their work with an art opening. The residency program not only encourages dialogue between students and designers, but also educates youth and the larger community about the inherent interconnectedness of human and natural life and its role in the textile industry.
INTERNS
We are interested in supporting and encouraging the creative development and use of sustainable materials in the artists work as well as providing a forum for educating students about the role of sustainability in the textile industry. Interns are presented the opportunity to create small collections from our fabric scraps for the shop and to teach workshops in their field of interest.
In partnering with artists and designers we hope to form a space that is dedicated to supporting the use of sustainable textiles, traditional techniques and dye methods, and the creative evolution of the artists work. Please contact Ashley Helvey if you are interested in collaborating.
Please contact:
Ashley Helvey
310 344 3561
ashleyhelvey@yahoo.com
More information is also available at http://ambataliafabrics.com/
Until next time,
Heather
www.fashionhistorian.net
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August 12th, 2008 at 5:00 am
(Jobs, Uncategorized)
Below are a couple of open positions which might appeal to people who study dress and culture–and–people who dig California:
University of California, Santa Cruz has an opening in the History of Art and Visual Culture Department for a Department Manager. It’s an admin position and they say:
Under general direction of the Chair, the Department Manager provides administrative management support for the Department and executive assistance to the Chair and is responsible for department planning and program support; curriculum management; financial management; equipment, facilities and space coordination; staff and academic human resources support; development and general public information; general office administration; and oversight of the undergraduate and graduate programs. These duties require thorough knowledge of University, state and federal regulations, policies, guidelines, procedures and considerable judgment and tact in problem solving and decision-making.
The position is open until filled but the initial review date for apps was July 15 so apply quick!
You must use the UCSC online apply. Click here for that link.
California State University, Fullerton is looking to fill a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Anthropology in Cultural/Social Anthropology, with a specialty in Visual and Oral Culture.
The person should have specialties in visual and oral culture studies, which may include material culture and social memory; museum studies; ethnographic film and media; Native North American and/or immigrant cultural traditions of culture and communication; folklore; oral histories; or sociolinguistics.
They note:
Preference will be given to applicants specializing in one or more of the following geographic areas: Oceania, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Central Asia, Caribbean, Central America, North America, or Middle East.
They want to fill it for Fall 2009 but it seems to still be open so it’s worth checking out.
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August 11th, 2008 at 5:00 am
(Conferences and Calls for Papers, Uncategorized)
1.) Ahead Of Its Time: Artistic Jewelry In The Milieu Of 1900
Massachusetts College of Art in Boston
October 11-13, 2008
The Association for the Study of Jewelry & Related Arts is holding
its Annual Conference on Jewelry & Related Arts, examining
personal ornament as a decorative art at the turn of the 20th
century. The Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau, and Jugendstil movements
will be explored, the philosophical and inspirational sources;
the political, and social climate of the times; and the popular
motifs and technological innovations that characterize them.
Click here for more details.
2.) Who’s Your Daddy? Families in Early American Needlework
Winterthur Museum, Delaware
October 17-18, 2008
The exhibition and related conference will explore how family ties are honored and strengthened through needlework and the ways in which needlework can serve as primary-source material for historical and genealogical research. We’ll explore the theme of families in early American needlework through lectures, workshops, hands-on classes, and a special exhibition (on display October 4, 2008 through January 9, 2009). Speakers include Kathleen Staples, Marla Miller, Susan Schoelwer, and Jane Nylander. Click here for more details.
3.) Textiles as Cultural Expressions
Textile Society of America’s 11th Biennial Symposium, Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, Honolulu
September 24-27
The 2008 Symposium will include:
Art Conservation, Garment Manufacturing, Hawaiian Quilts,
Traditional Hawaiian Textiles, and Museums of Hawaii. Click here for more details.
4.) Inspired Design: Entrepreneurial & Jacquard Textiles
The UNC Center for Craft, Creativity and Design, North Carolina
January 7-10, 2009
This conference on five textile design growth areas will feature international speakers on 1.) Smart Textiles (e-textiles) with electronic components woven into textiles, 2.) Performance and Interactive textiles designed as performative textiles for costume, stage, and dance or computer designs created by sound, 3) Textiles for Boutique Clothing – fabric designs for limited-edition boutique clothing, 4) Interior Textiles for furniture, panels, wall-coverings, and 5) Textiles as Fine or Commissioned Art. Click here for more details.
5.) 7th International Shibori Symposium
Provence, Lyon and Paris, France
October 30 – November 10, 2008
This multicity event celebrating shibori’s dynamic connections across the world - bridging cultures, languages, and nature across time. Join us for a unique site-specific symposium from Provence to Lyon to Paris as we tour some of France’s fabled towns and cities whose textile traditions and material culture remain steeped within the earth. This year’s theme, “Textiles in Nature,” emphasizes the importance of integrating handcrafts into everyday living if we hope to protect our cultural ecosystems. Through this symposium, we hope to encourage others to take a closer look at personal culture within a larger, global context and contribute to the perpetuation and evolution of our craft practices. Click here for more details.
1 Comment
August 8th, 2008 at 9:59 am
(Uncategorized)
I haven’t been discussing visual culture issues much on Worn Through lately, as I’ve been sticking strictly to dress, however, living in the Twin Cities, right by the site of the 35W bridge collapse has been very eye opening in terms of the meaning of design. So I thought it was relevant to WT this time.
The symbolism of the area has been rich, from the bridge to the aftermath to the rebuild project to the current discussions of memorials, which reached a fever pitch this week as we’ve hit the one year anniversary of the disaster. It made me think about a Visual Culture course I took last year in which we actively discussed the relationship of of design, meaning, and memory, and I did a photo essay for class of many of the national sites I’ve been to including a wide variety of memorials. The local media has been getting an array of people to discuss what the memorial should be like and how to visually and tactily represent that event and those people. In class we read a really interesting piece about Maya Lin’s challenges when developing the Vietnam War Memorial by Marita Sturken entitled The Wall, The Screen, and the Image: The Vietnam War Memorial which is from the Visual Culture Reader (1998).
The new bridge is set to open this fall after a year of poeple working 24/7 to restore it. Some say the symbolic nature of the new bridge, its shape, and the speed in which it went up is a memorial in and of itself. But it will be very intersting to see how things develop over time when plans are put into motion regarding a design specifically to conceived to landmark the event.
So below I’ve included a small handful of pictures I have taken of some of the memorial sites I’ve visited. I’ve actually got tons of images from all over the country, but I just included a few as examples. Of course a noted difference with the following two examples is that they were not “natural” or “accidents” as the 35W bridge collapse is considered, and so design considerations for these memorials may reflect different ideas.-Monica
Oklahoma City bombing site:
The site of JFK’s assasignation and the Texas Book Depository which is now a museum (yes it’s weird I’m smiling near the x but I stood there sort of to show perspective that the x is just part of the scenery now):
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August 8th, 2008 at 5:00 am
(Conferences and Calls for Papers, Uncategorized)
Here are some conferences which might appeal to dress and textile scholars.
The Global Quilt: Cultural Contexts
International Quilt Study Center & Museum, Nebraska, April 2-4, 2009
Call for Papers: The deadline for submissions is August 15, 2008.
This symposium will include quilt lovers, collectors, museum professionals, scholars, and artists to explore the ways in which quilts communicate cultural values, reflect cross-cultural transmission of style or techniques, serve as a medium for social connection or reflect and express environmental, artistic, scientific and technological influences of the society in which they were made.
Keynote speakers for the symposium are Jacqueline Atkins, the Kate Fowler Merle-Smith Curator of Textiles at the Allentown Art Museum (Allentown, PA) and Jennifer Harris, Deputy Director of the Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester (Manchester, UK).
Click here for more details.
Questions should be directed to:
Angela Konin, Education Coordinator
International Quilt Study Center & Museum
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
1523 N 33rd St
P.O. Box 830838
Lincoln, NE 68583-0838
(402) 472-7030
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