Last Thursday, my friend and I decided to visit the Textile
Museum of Canada; located near St. Patrick's station in downtown Toronto.
Interestingly enough, it happens to be the only museum in Canada whose sole
focus is on the textile trade and history.
There were two exhibits. The first exhibit featured candid pictures of Frida Kahlo taken by Nickolas Muray, as well as beautifully handmade and machine woven dresses, skirts and blouses depicting traditional Mexican textiles from the nineteenth century.
There were two exhibits. The first exhibit featured candid pictures of Frida Kahlo taken by Nickolas Muray, as well as beautifully handmade and machine woven dresses, skirts and blouses depicting traditional Mexican textiles from the nineteenth century.
As you walked through the exhibit, pictures of Frida Kahlo
were displayed all around; images of her with friends as well as with Diego
Rivera (another well-known Mexican artist). The rooms were open but were
structured in a way that allowed you to flow from one topic of focus to
another. As you continued to walk, the exhibit transitioned into displays of
traditional Mexican fashion to depict the type of style of dress Frida wore
during her life.
By the end of the first exhibit, there were multiple looms
showing the way in which different sized fibers are woven together to make a
cloth.
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On the floor above was the second exhibit, featuring work
done by artists like Picasso, Warhol, Henri Matisse, Salavador Dali, Sonia
Dalaunay, Henry Moore, Raoul Dufy, and others. I found this floor really fun as
it was curated in a way in which everywhere you looked, there was either a
tapestry, framed prints, and outfits with vibrant patterns or interesting
structure. Unlike the first exhibit, which displayed mostly photography and had
a subdued (classical) ambiance; this floor took you through the decades of
textile art and how it became popular amongst people in the early 19th century,
up until the late 1950s.
Eduardo Paolozzi and Nigel Henderson
"Barkcloth' Screen-Printed cotton twill furnishing textile
Hammer Print Ltd, Thorpe-le-Soken, c. 1955
"Barkcloth' Screen-Printed cotton twill furnishing textile
Hammer Print Ltd, Thorpe-le-Soken, c. 1955
Joan Miro
'Poster Poem'
Roller-printed cotton fashion textile
'Poster Poem'
Roller-printed cotton fashion textile
D.B. Fuller & Co. Inc., New York, 1955
Dress, a 'Tail Gems' model by Matte Dresses, USA
Dress, a 'Tail Gems' model by Matte Dresses, USA
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As this was my first time going to this museum, I found it
an informative and very eye opening experience. Oh, and since I'm a student at
Sheridan College, I was able to go in for free as are some other colleges and
university students. My friend (who is enrolled at York) had to pay the student
discount which isn't bad seeing as it's only $6 bucks. General admission is $15
and children under the age of 5 are free. Also, the location of the museum
being downtown makes it a prime location if you're looking to take some time
out of your day, are in the area, and want to learn about how the textile
industry came to be. It happens to be only steps away from restaurants, bars,
boutiques and other museums like the AGO.
I encourage anyone living in the area of the GTA to take a look at this museum as if happens to provide information and feature items exclusive to its location. If you'd like any more information about driving directions to the museum, would like to see what the current exhibit is about or would like to check out the textile programs that are offered there, visit their website at: textilemuseum.ca.
I encourage anyone living in the area of the GTA to take a look at this museum as if happens to provide information and feature items exclusive to its location. If you'd like any more information about driving directions to the museum, would like to see what the current exhibit is about or would like to check out the textile programs that are offered there, visit their website at: textilemuseum.ca.
