Exhibition Opening Day | INTIKA: Men in Textiles

“Textile history is almost as old as human civilization, and as time has passed, the history of textiles has become more enriched. Throughout history, women have been heavily involved in textile production, but men have also been involved in many cultures in textile art.

For nearly 500 years the men of Taquile, Peru, have used textiles as a way to express themselves. The Spaniards renamed the place Taquile after a prominent Spanish nobleman, but its indigenous name “Intika” is still used by the locals today. In 2008, their textile art was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Seven men on the island were recognized as Masters in Textiles, and in this context, they experienced a new process of becoming aware of the importance of textile art.

Textile art is undergoing a transformation, breaking away from traditional associations and embracing a contemporary perspective that transcends gender norms. It breathes life into stories, reflects political struggles, and provides a canvas for healing and memory.

The INTIKA exhibition seeks to showcase the diverse works of male artists from various backgrounds, each employing different textile techniques. Artists push the boundaries of traditional textile art by experimenting with unconventional materials or incorporating elements from other disciplines like sculpture or installation art.

The exhibition shows how textiles and clothing are deeply intertwined with cultural norms and gender roles across different civilizations. Whether it’s knitting hats or creating intricate embroidery, men have played a vital role in shaping the history of textiles with pieces that evoke strong emotional responses through their beauty, symbolism, or pieces that address contemporary issues such as politics, the environment, or social justice from a male perspective and to harness this moment and explore it in diverse contexts.”

–Armando Garcia-Orso / Natalie Gonzalez / Daril Fortis