A shrimp net, a 100-year-old quilt and a pair of jeans are on display at the ArtsCenter’s new exhibit “North Carolina Textiles: The Fabric of a State.”
The exhibit was created out of a partnership between the North Carolina Folklife Institute and the North Carolina Folklore Society. The exhibit is an extension of the Folklore Society’s upcoming state-wide Folklife Festival, which takes place September 28 and celebrates the organization’s 100th anniversary.
Elijah Gaddis, a Ph.D. student at UNC and a North Carolina Folklore Society board member, said the idea for creating an exhibit about textiles came out of a desire to present a broad overview of North Carolina folklore.
Gaddis, who was also the main curator on the project, said the 34 pieces in the exhibit came from a wide range of museums and communities throughout North Carolina. They also range in age, from a early twentieth century loom to a brand new pair of jeans made by Raleigh Denim.
Janet Hoshour, board president of the N.C. Folklore Society, said North Carolina textiles were chosen as the focus of the exhibit because they are a medium that serves both an artistic and commercial purpose. Additionally, textiles hold an important spot in North Carolina’s history.
“Textiles are such an important part of the fabric of who we are. It just seemed natural,” Hoshour said.
She hopes visitors will walk away with a greater understanding of textiles and also a greater appreciation for North Carolina as a state.
“It’s a state that’s filled with artisans, who often express themselves in traditional ways,” Hoshour said.
Joy Salyers, executive director of the N.C. Folklife Institute and secretary of the N.C. Folklore Society, said she hopes people will gain similar benefits from the exhibit.
