Stories to Tell:

Recent Acquisitions from the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection

September 27-December 15, 1996
Gallery of Design
School of Human Ecology
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Supported by a grant from the Anonymous Fund

About "Stories"

In developing this year's exhibit, Stories to Tell: Recent Acquisitions from the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection, we sought to show off the vitality of our collection and the generosity of our donors. The textiles and costumes on display were acquired within the last five years and represent an astounding array of techniques, cultures, and eras, including: a hand-batiked silk scarf designed by Mary Jaeger, a New York textile designer from Madison, working with Indonesia batik artists; a young girl's kosode, obi, and geta presented to a Madison child in 1909 by Baroness Goto, the Administrator of Education in Japan; two women's headdresses from the Loimi-Akha people of northern Thailand; and silk-screened yardage designed by Ruth Grotenrath printed at the 1954 Wisconsin State Fair. These are just a few of the pieces in the exhibit, comprising only a fraction of the 250 recent acquisitions.

We have selected pieces for the exhibit not only to show the diversity and quality of recent acquisitions, but also to tell stories. Although a textile may be beautiful and well-crafted, it is the story associated with the textile that lends it excitement and life. The HLATC is more than a collection of beautiful textiles. It is a repository of information about cultures, history, and human experience relating to textiles.

Some stories in the exhibition connect the donors to the textiles, explaining how and why these pieces entered their lives. The HLATC depends on the generosity of contributors whose textiles benefit others, particularly students.

Other stories open a window to different cultures by narrating the significance of the piece in its original context. These stories help us to appreciate both the differences and the similarities of people around the world.

The stories about the pieces in the exhibition were gleaned from interviews, donor statements, documentation, and library research performed over the last two years by HLATC staff. Our research team includes Kris Donovan, Mary Jo Gauthier, Aimée Glassel, Lisa Mihm, Susan Neill, Ruta Saliklis, and Sarah Webber.

Finally, I would like to thank the Anonymous Fund for their generous support in making this exhibition possible.

Mary Ann Fitzgerald
Curator
Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection