"Staging the Table in Europe" and "Shaped by the Loom"

Description

Bard Graduate Center Gallery presents Staging the Table in Europe 1500–1800 and Shaped by the Loom: Weaving Worlds in the American Southwest on view February 17–July 9, 2023. Purchasing admission allows you to visit both exhibitions. 

Staging the Table in Europe 1500–1800 provides a window into the culinary spectacles created during Europe’s early modern period. The exhibition explores the dining customs and practices of the time through gloriously illustrated books used by servants in the wealthiest households. The manuals include instructions for carving meats, fishes, and fruits and folding napkins into elaborate sculptural forms. Images from the books are displayed alongside the material culture of the table: rarely seen table linens and carving knives and forks made of precious materials. Together, these words, pictures, and things provide a glimpse of the ephemeral world of the early modern table.

Shaped by the Loom: Weaving Worlds in the American Southwest invites you to explore the world of Navajo weaving. This dynamic gallery and online experience presents never-before-seen textiles created by Diné makers. These historic blankets, garments, and rugs from the American Museum of Natural History are situated alongside contemporary works by Diné weavers and visual artists, such as Barbara Teller Ornelas and Lynda Teller Pete. Shaped by the Loom highlights seasonal cycles that guide the harvesting of dye plants, the cosmologies that inform a weaver’s work, and the songs, stories, and prayers that are woven into every piece. The items in the exhibition will be accompanied by artist interviews, interactive storytelling, and stunning panoramic views of the Navajo Nation. Shaped by the Loom elevates the voices of Indigenous artists and makers to express the cultural legacy and continued vibrancy of weaving traditions in the American Southwest.

Date & Time

Feb 17 - Jul 9, 2023

Venue Details

BARD GRADUATE CENTER GALLERY

18 West 86th Street
New York, New York 10024

Bard Graduate Center