October 6 through December 23, 2018
Program Highlights All programs are free unless otherwise
Lecture
noted. For a complete list of programs
Shipibo-Conibo Textiles from the Peruvian Amazon
with descriptions, or to register for a program, visit museum.gwu.edu/ programs or call 202-994-7394. Artist Talk
Faig Ahmed: Nonvisual Language Saturday, October 6, 11 AM (members), 12:30 PM (public) Faig Ahmed, artist in residence. Free, but reservations are required Join artist in residence, Faig Ahmed as he shares his new artwork and inspiration pieces from the museum collections Textiles at 12 Workshops
Communicating with Collage Thursday, October 18, 12 pm (2 hours) Morgan Kuster, education assistanth Film and Discussion
Shipibo... the Movie of Our Memories Thursday, October 18, 5:30 PM (51 minutes, subtitled) Alaka Wali, curator of North American Anthropology, Science and Education Division, The Field Museum $10 members / $15 public In this MacArthur Foundation-supported film produced by the Field Museum in 2011, the native communities of the Shipibo in southern Peru discuss anthropologist Harry Tschopik Jr.’s 1953 film on the Shipibo people, “Men of the Montaña;” their own identity; the changes in their culture; and the future for their children. This special screening is explores the Peruvian tribe whose textiles inspired artist in residence, Faig Ahmed’s recent work on view in our experimental gallery.
Wednesday, November 14 5:30 PM (reception), 6 PM (lecture) $10 members / $15 public Drawing on anthropological theory, Dr. Wortham’s lecture will map out the context and complexity behind ShipiboConibo textiles and their circulation beyond the Peruvian Amazon. Erica Wortham, professorial lecturer, GW Department of Anthropology Textiles at Twelve: Film
Shipibo…the Movie of Our Memories Thursday, December 13, 12 PM Free (51 minutes, subtitled)
Left: Faig Ahmed; Dragon Path (detail), 2017; Wool; handwoven; Courtesy of Sapar Contemporary, New York
“Objects are records of cultural process, and they provide unmediated access to the values and experience of their producers—if we know how to read them.” / Arnold Rubin Internationally acclaimed visual artist Faig
Faig Ahmed: Nonvisual Language
Ahmed, a native of Azerbaijan, believes
sprang from Ahmed’s study of the
that the patterns used to create letters
Shipibo textiles in the Textile Museum’s
can be traced to the history of textile
permanent collection, examination of
construction in different cultures. Ahmed’s
materials in the Museum’s Arthur D.
new work explores language and the ways
Jenkins Library, and the findings of his
in which language morphs and persists in
recent field trip to Peru. This exhibition
the form of patterns and symbols.
features art works Ahmed created prior
Faig Ahmed: Nonvisual Language does
to his Textile Museum visit, those he
not concern itself with the preciousness
collected during his South American
of the textile in and of itself. Through his
travels, and his latest work, which
tangible artwork, Ahmed is investigating
synthesizes the ideas he gleaned
the creation and community adoption of
from his research about cross-cultural
textile patterns and symbols as a spiritual
pattern symbols.
force. The artist believes that the integrity
While at the Museum’s Avenir
of such patterns created from letters and
Foundation Conservation and Collections
words can be traced in textiles produced
Resource Center, Ahmed focused his
by different cultures. The exploration of language and
research on the geometric linear surface design patterns in historic textiles created
symbol as code has been a recurring
by the Shipibo people of Peru. At a
these in Ahmed’s contemporary textiles
quick glance, the bold and fine linear
and sculpture, and continues as the
elements appear to be laid out within a
subject for this exhibition. Ahmed
symmetrical compositional framework.
recently participated in a Textile Museum
Yet after spending time with the textiles,
contemporary art research project.
Ahmed discerned that the paths of surface
Extending the approach of a 2012 Textile
mark-making were not symmetrical
Museum group exhibition, Sourcing the
patterns. Compositional repetition did
Museum, the Museum invited Ahmed
not occur. There were visual pauses in
to catalyze new artwork by conducting
the ink, evidence of the mark maker
primary source research in its historic collection of non-Western textiles.
taking a moment to consider direction before moving on with the activity. As he examined the Shipibo textiles, Faig felt there was evidence of a larger narrative which was not visible to the eye. He asked: Caption Occusa del idis ut fugiati onsedipsamus adis resenimpos duntius anditas simagni omnis maximaximin pro voleceriatum que re,
Faig Ahmed; Dragon Path, 2017; Wool; handwoven; Courtesy of Sapar Contemporary, New York
“listen” to a song or chant by looking at the designs, and inversely paint a pattern by listening to music. The linear, geometric patterns don’t act as design philosophy, but as a map of consciousness and reality structure. Given a connection to metaphysical sources, the patterned textiles are believed to bring healing on mental and physical levels. The Shipibo painted designs act as channels or conduits for a multi-sensorial vibrational fusion of form, light and sound. Scholar Angelika Gebhart-Sayer states that the geometric linear design work of the Shipibo “may well have constituted a graphic device comprising symbolic, “What is the language?” What is the message? What drives the mark-making process?” The Shipibo people are one of the largest ethnic groups in the Peruvian Amazon, and
semantic units” used in rituals to help community members remember things. Ahmed’s recent works, Dragon Path (2017) and DNA (2016), explore the ideas of
live in communities through the Pucallpa/
pattern as a vehicle for language. Ahmed
Ucayali river region. All the textile painting,
created Dragon Path as a reinterpretation of
embroidery, and artisan craft is carried
a dragon carpet from the collection of the
out by the women. The graphic designs
Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ahmed was
produced by the Shipibo are believed to
drawn to the image of a mystical winged
be therapeutic sound from the spirit world
and fire-breathing dragon, a design that
that is administered to the living through the
traveled from China to Asia’s frontier with
song of the shaman. Through our Western
Europe, a border that runs through Ahmed’s
cultural lens, we perceive the geometric
home country of Azerbaijan. In keeping with
patterns as static marks bound within the
Ahmed’s focus on pattern and language,
compositional border of the cloth, yet to the
the image of the dragon is stylized in two
Shipibo the designs extend far beyond the
distinct abstract interpretations within the
textile’s edges and act as song. The Shipibo
language of the carpet.
Caption Occusa del idis ut fugiati onsedipsamus adis resenimpos duntius anditas simagni omnis maximaximin pro voleceriatum que re,
DNA was developed as a result of Faig Ahmed’s fascination with genetic research, quantum physics and the science of small particles. DNA was inspired by scientific attempts to describe metaphysical phenomena. Textiles, as ubiquitous and omnipresent human communication devices, act as containers of code to describe human cultural expression and mathematical concepts through textile construction. Included in the exhibition is a selection of contemporary Mexican and Shipibo textiles Ahmed collected during his recent trip to South America. The artist has included
Faig Ahmed created Untitled after his travels
these textiles to illustrate his reference
to the Textile Museum and Peru in
material for studying pattern, rhythm,
late 2017. This artwork by Faig reflects his
color, and visual information produced
thinking about the design and pattern
by contemporary weavers. Similar to the
parallels between Peruvian and Azerbaijani
cross-cultural symbols Ahmed incorporates
woven textiles. His points of reference for
into his work, these contemporary weavings
the new work include the design elements
contain patterns and symbols that have
from traditional Azerbaijani carpets, in
moved across cultures throughout the
particular the diamond patterns and yarn
indigenous Americas in recent history.
colors, the abstracted Arabic letter forms
Created in Ahmed’s Central Asian country
found along the border of Pirebedil carpets
where there is a long and rich tradition
(the oldest form of Azerbaijani carpets),
of textile making, an Azerbaijani rug is
and the linear patterns that communicate
included and, combined with the Mexican
song and cultural ideas in the South
and Shipibo textiles, acts as a source for
American textiles. Ahmed, through the
the creation of his new work.
creation of his art work, explores common parallels in textile construction and pattern symbolism between disparate textiles in
“Through his tangible artwork, Ahmed is investigating the creation and community adoption of textile patterns and symbols as a spiritual force.”
time and space. Primary research conducted by contemporary artists such as Ahmed in The Textile Museum’s collections can inspire greater community and institutional engagement with the Museum, while fostering a contemporary understanding of the cultural and technical importance of its historic collection.
Visitor Information Location
Museum Shop
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Monday: 11 AM–5 PM Tuesday: Closed Wednesday–Thursday: 11 AM–7 PM Friday: 11 AM–5 PM Saturday: 10 AM–5 PM Sunday: 1–5 PM Closed on university holidays
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Membership
The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum 701 21st Street, NW, Washington, DC 20052 202-994-5200 | museum.gwu.edu @GWTextileMuseum
Textile Library Located on the museum’s fourth floor, the Arthur D. Jenkins Library is open Wed–Thu 1– 4 PM and by appointment. Please contact the librarian before your visit at museumlibrary@gwu.edu.
Left (and cover): Faig Ahmed; DNA, 2016; Wool; handwoven; Courtesy of Sapar Contemporary, New York
/TextileMuseum @GWMuseum