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Entry to the exhibition
Photo source Margery Blackman
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Collection of small bags
Photo source Margery Blackman
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Dunedin Public Art Gallery
17 November 2001 - 12 May 2002
A Dunedin Public Art Gallery exhibition
Margery Blackman,
Dunedin textile historian and conservator, has worked for months to
curate Threads of Tradition, an exhibition of the textiles and
costumes stored for years in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.
The textile and costume collections at the Gallery have been built up
over a period of seventy years, almost entirely by donations from
generous supporters. British and European traditions are represented
among the 144 exhibited items including eighteenth century
waistcoats, nineteenth century lace, shawls and elaborately decorated
bags, Victorian costume and a 1920s beaded dress.
English embroidery from seventeenth century
One of the most precious and interesting items is a small but very fine
embroidery from the 17th century, depicting biblical themes from the Old
Testament book of Esther. King Ahasuerus of Babylon (also known as
Xerxes, 486-465 BC) deeply loved his wife Esther, a beautiful Jewess. She
pleaded with him to save her people when Haman who was Prime Minister
wanted to exterminate them. In the centre Esther is making her plea to the
king, and in the top right hand corner Haman is being hung from the
gallows. There is no attempt in the embroidery to portray Jewish
costumes of Esther's day. As with many historical performances in
seventeenth century theatre the characters wear the fashions of the
1660s.
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English Embroidery - the story
of Esther - 1660-70
Photo source Margery Blackman
Click here for a larger version
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Chinese costume and textiles
Photo source Margery Blackman
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Many upper class women spent a lot of time on embroidery and became
very skilled. The story of Esther is probably an example of their
work. With a magnifying glass Mrs Blackman was able to see the black
outline of the design where some of the black silk thread had
disintegrated.
Exhibits from other cultures
There are textiles from other cultures too, including late nineteenth and
early twentieth century Chinese costume and silk hangings, an Indonesian
batik and two Navaho rugs.
Costumes
Almost all the exhibits have been worn or used, and as she
worked with them Mrs Blackman found evidence that some had been
altered and re-used. Most of the costumes are fragments rather then
complete outfits. The display includes waistcoats, bodices, skirts,
part of an eighteenth century dress made of beautiful blue silk with
posies of flowers woven into it. It was probably made in
Spitalfields, Mrs Blackman said, as that district in London was noted
for its weaving of silk at that period. Only one of the late
nineteenth century bodices and skirts on display has a label - from
the Christchurch firm Ballantynes.
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Curator Margery Blackman with
brocaded silk waistcoat
and silk knee
breeches
Photographer Jan Wilson
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One silk waistcoat is displayed with the accompanying silk knee
breeches. They date from the 1780s and originally belonged to Sir John Stuart
of Castlemilk, Scotland. The pockets are lined with fine white kid.
The work needed to mount the exhibition
Margery Blackman is no stranger to organising exhibitions and preparing
catalogues. I have just been re-reading the catalogue she wrote for the
exhibition Woven Images: Traditions in Weaving from Indonesia
organised by the Dunedin Spinners and Weavers Guild under her guidance and
held at the Otago Museum in 1981.
In 1998 she was responsible for another significant exhibition at the
Otago Museum - EMPEROR'S COURT to VILLAGE FESTIVAL - an exhibition
of Chinese Costume and textiles from the collection held at the Otago
Museum.
For this exhibition she was responsible for cleaning and conserving a
number of pieces, tasks that require particular care and expertise.
She also gained experience in displaying garments so that they could
be seen to best advantage, and supporting them so that they are not
damaged by being hung. They must be physically supported so as to
minimise stress on the fibres.
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Part of the costumes display
Photo source Margery Blackman
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For Threads of Tradition there was an added problem. In the case
of items of clothing, 'body' structures had to be specially made as
modern-day mannequins are quite the wrong shape for eighteenth and
even nineteenth century garments.
Local experts Jane Malthus and Jan Wilson worked with Mrs Blackman
and the gallery's exhibition's designer, Tim Cornelius, to create a
display that will delight anyone interested in needlework and the
history of clothing and textiles.
Background research about the origins of the exhibits Information
about many of the objects in the collection is rather sketchy and Mrs
Blackman's work on the exhibition has entailed months of research to
find out more about the items themselves as well as their donors.
The path to information about one exhibit was unexpectedly closed.
Mrs Blackman knew from the records that the seventeenth century
embroidery had been given in 1982 by Mrs Mabel Wachner, a former
mayoress of Invercargill. When Mrs Blackman rang the rest home
where Mrs Wachner lived she was told that she had died the previous
day, aged 108.
Where to find the exhibition
Threads of Tradition opened to the
public on 17 November. It is one of a series of exhibitions being
developed to showcase aspects of the Dunedin Public Art Gallery's
decorative arts collection.
You will find the Gallery in the Dunedin's Octagon in the heart of
the city. It houses an impressive collection of New Zealand works
covering the period from 1860 to the present. It offers a dynamic and
varied programme of exhibitions and adds to the interest of these
with lectures and demonstrations on the themes of the exhibitions.
For instance on Sunday, February 17, at 3.00pm, Dr Jane Malthus will
talk about Fashions in Context - men's and women's fashions in
Threads of Tradition. On Sunday, March 3, from 1.00 to 3.00pm,
Dunedin-based bead artist Katya Gunn will give a talk and
demonstration on Beads, Beading and Bountiful Bags.
Though the emphasis is on the fine arts, the Gallery's programme also
explores the decorative arts, design, fashion and moving image.
Exhibitions are regularly developed from the permanent collection and
touring shows profile the best of international and New Zealand art.
For further information contact:
Tim Pollock
Marketing Team Leader
Tel: 03 474 3243 Fax: 03 474 3250
Email: tim.pollock@dcc.govt.nz
