Conversation: Threads of Care—Preserving and Interpreting Textiles From Africa and Southwest Asia

Why It Matters

The exhibitions reshape how major institutions present non‑Western textile traditions, fostering cultural equity while advancing preservation standards for fragile heritage objects.

Key Takeaways

• New exhibition highlights SWANA textiles, dress, and adornment
• On Loss and Absence explores mourning, survival through cloth
• Curators blend conservation science with curatorial storytelling for audiences
• Emphasis on inclusive representation of African and Southwest Asian cultures
• Live demonstration shows preservation techniques for fragile textiles

Summary

The Art Institute of Chicago hosted a conversation introducing two forthcoming textile exhibitions: "On Loss and Absence: Textiles of Mourning and Survival" and "Embroidered Traditions from Morocco to Afghanistan." Curators Janet Purdy and conservator Isaac Facio explained how the shows examine cloth as a vessel for grief, resilience, and cultural exchange across Africa and Southwest Asia.

The first exhibition frames textiles as intimate witnesses to birth, death, and survival, displaying over a hundred objects that illustrate mourning rituals, repair practices, and resistance. The second exhibition, the institute’s first dedicated solely to SWANA dress and adornment, presents 75 works—most never before seen—organized thematically around identity, privacy, wealth, and celebration, highlighting nomadic trade routes and urban fashions.

Specific pieces were highlighted, such as a Yemeni Gargush headdress, Kuba ceremonial wrappers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and a Jatho ceremonial dress that epitomizes cross‑regional exchange. A live lab demonstration revealed the meticulous conservation methods used to stabilize fragile fibers, underscoring the partnership between scientific preservation and curatorial narrative.

By foregrounding under‑represented regions and integrating conservation expertise into public programming, the institute aims to broaden audience understanding, invite diaspora communities to see their heritage reflected, and set a model for ethical, inclusive museum practice.

Original Description

Highlighting a selection of textiles from Africa and Southwest Asia featured in the exhibitions "On Loss and Absence: Textiles of Mourning and Survival" and "Embroidered Traditions from Morocco to Afghanistan," textiles curator Janet Purdy and conservator Isaac Facio share stories behind the works and the particular ways care for them.

Their thoughtful discussion covers the challenges inherent in conserving such works, interpreting their meaning, and determining the ethics of display.