Thanks for sticking around.
I have an idea I’m really excited about. I will announce it around September 09.
Enjoying the good weather.
Be back for CNTM3 or maybe not
As I make my way through the OAAG Tour list, I am always surprised when I find a beautiful, vibrant gallery not-quite-hidden away within close proximity of an area I frequent daily.
The Textile Museum of Canada is about one kilometer away from my university and never once, in my entire academic career did I know if its existence or visited it. I am now quite sorry that I didn’t.
Although I blog frequently about fashion, I find that I am not very comfortable with the subject matter as I lack basic understanding on the mechanics of textiles and the history and industry that surrounds it. The only fashion posts I feel confident about are about my consumer experiences. While searching through my archives for my blog’s birthday post, I was embarrassed to find that most of my fashion-related posts were junk thoughts which I wrote only because the pop culture surrounding fashion allows for precarious opinions. I can’t say that I am proud of many of them and I am looking for ways to improve.
I wasn’t sure what to expect at the museum and was really afraid that all the exhibitions would be too advanced for me to enjoy.
The Textile Museum is house in one of those non-descript brown brick high rises that litter the downtown core. The entrance was hard to locate and I had to walk around the building once to find it.
The Textile Museum seemed to have been dealt a bad hand in terms of real estate. It seems to be laid out in a typical office-type building -low ceilings, modular spaces, barely any natural light – and it seems to sap the life out of the items being displayed. I don’t have enough understanding of curation to articulate the problem but the rooms were lacking something that makes you realize that you are looking at something special.
The permanent collection consists of an around-the-world display of traditional costumes. What I really enjoyed was that each of the information plaques had a diagram of the patterns used to create the garment.
Romanian and Chinese traditional costumes:
The collection also included pieces from contemporary designers:
This was a fun interactive display that allows you to drape a male and a female mannequin. Evidently, I don’t have what it takes to be Canada’s. Next. Top. Designer.
There was also an awesome exhibition of Judy Chicago’s work which I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the documentary about the very conservative-looking middle aged women who participated in the genitalia-themed needlework.
I loved the gallery shop. The clerk was just so genuinely helpful. I was looking for a book about clothing maintenance as I have somehow managed to wear out all of my suits and work blouses and dresses in one year. I wanted to learn how to identify durable fabrics and then subsequently maintain their structural integrity. The clerk helped me locate a book called “Laundry: The Whys and Hows of Cleaning Clothes” by Robert Doyle. While I know why I should be cleaning my clothes, I am unable to accomplish the hows and often just shove a mass of clothing at the dry cleaner and hope for the best. Doyle did a great job explaining the material and manufacturing of the most frequently used fabrics along with detailed instructions on how to clean them. I have read this book cover to cover and am looking forward to a reduction in my dry cleaning bill.
I would like to further my understanding of textiles and fashion.
Do you have any book recommendations?
Ratings:
(1) Environment:
Attractiveness of space: 5/10
Use of space: 7/10
Maintenance of space: 10/10
Element of Surprise: 0/10
(2) Curating
Effectiveness of Display: 8/10
Consistency of Display: 10/10
Attractiveness of Display: 5/10
(3) Exhibition
Effectiveness of Exhibition : 10/10
Average: 7.1/10 – worth a visit
Spoilers ahead
Happy first birthday to my blog!
To my astonishing (and very very not-imaginary) readers, thank you for a wonderful year of laughs, insights, mini-tutorials and mentorship. I had not imagined getting such an overwhelmly positive response.
To celebrate, a list of my favourite posts so far. Happy reading.
14-Apr-08 The Best Thing Ever – My brother throwing an axe at a tree
18-Apr-08 My Carbon Footprint - My attempt at calculating my carbon footprint
22-Apr-08 The Asian Literature Photo Project a self-portrait by proxy series I did for a class
28-Apr-08 On Max Mosely and Other Religious Figures – My thoughts on the documentary Stalag and Kreidens from the Hot Docs festival.
6-May-08 My Grandma’s Home – I love my grandmother
6-May-08 The Olympic Run – I never thought that I would get to see the Olympic Run in Hong Kong.
6-May-08 Reading the South China Post - It is a real pleasure to find regional papers in English.
14-May-08 Cooking with my Grandma – Putting family recipes to paper is an emotional task
14-May-08 Bao San – A fun day at Cheung Chao Island
24-May-08 Voting in the People’s Republic I decided to vote for fun. I guess there are worst reasons to vote.
25-May-08 Trend in Chinese Art My most popular post
28-May-08 My China Extrusion – The day I discovered amongst many things that this blog is banned in China and guards are hot
31-May-08 Lessons Learned in Hong Kong – Travellers’ Tips for the Common Wealth bound
6-June-08 Oh My Yves! - My visit to the YSL show at Montreal Museum of Art
2-July-08 My Temporary Suburbia Where I discovered my love of referencing my parents’ childhood suffering like every other forum-poster on the Globeandmail.com forums
22-Aug-08 My Stepford Dream – A dinner party Tudor and I hosted
3-Sept-08 Wwwwwestside – A trip to the Art Gallery of Hamilton where I discovered the Ontario Association of Art Galleries
4-Sept-08 Performance Rating my Friendship Skills – I do not make a good friend
13-Sept-08 La revedere, Summer – My favourite pic of Yan
23-Sept-08 Ontario Association of Art Galleries Tour: Oakville Galleries - Although I made fun of Deirdre Logue’s “Beyond Her Usual Limits” in the post, after a couple months living milestone-less adulthood, I began to feel her pain
4-Oct-08 TIAF Gala – I scened
13-Oct-08 Ontario Association of Art Galleries: Robert McLaughlin Gallery - My favourite gallery on the east end. I great discovery
20-Oct-08 Toronto Fashion Week versus Ethics - A popular but quiet post
10-Nov-08 Fashion Takes Some Action - the beginnings of my evolving thoughts about fashion’s place in politics
22-Nov-08 A Dissolving Birthday – My favourite post. Probably the one post I spent time editing
20-Jan-09 Windsor Gothic – Pictures I took during a business trip to Windsor
1-Feb-09 Shopgirls versus Public Butter - another popular post. the beginnings of my thoughts on service. The Comments are worth a read.
19-Feb-09 Canadian Fashion Wasteland - This was fun to make. Too bad I don’t have photoshop now
3-Apr-09 – AGO Massive Uprising Party – Me at my worst: listless and wealthy
